Analysis: Russian War Crimes in Ukraine

In a war that is not yet a month old, the controversies resulting from the conflict are already counted in the dozens. The most striking however, have been the allegations of Russian forces committing war crimes. These allegations were recently inflamed, when US President Joe Biden referred to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, as a 'war criminal.' This article takes a look at those allegations. 

What Are War Crimes and Who is a War Criminal? 

A war criminal, by definition, is anyone who commits war crimes. War crimes are acts that break a specific set of rules adopted by nations, known as the law of armed conflict. The rules of armed conflict define illegal or criminal behaviour in times of war. Specifically, a war crime occurs when unnecessary suffering or superfluous injury is inflicted upon an enemy. This can include deliberately targeting civilians, using human shields, taking hostages, using disproportionate force, wilful killing, extensive destruction and the appropriation of property not justified by military necessity. These rules derive from the Geneva Conventions in the aftermath of World War Two, but further protocols have been added since, with an aim to protect civilians, prisoners of war, doctors, nurses and wounded soldiers. An extension of the crimes already mentioned include crimes against humanity directed towards civilian populations. This includes murder, extermination, rape, torture, sexual slavery and forcible transfer. 

Russian War Crimes in Ukraine

This leads us to ask what war crimes have Russian forces and by extension their commander, Vladimir Putin, been responsible for. To start with, the invasion of Ukraine itself is generally regarded as illegal having violated the Charter of the United Nations that prohibits such acts of aggression. Following on from this, are the numerous instances of crimes committed during the conflict. These include, but are not limited to: 

- Attacks on civilian areas, one example being the 15 hour shelling of a civilian area in Mariupol. 

- The shelling of neutral shipping in the Black Sea.

- Attacks on multiple healthcare facilities, a violation noted by the Director-General of the World Health Organisation.

- Numerous uses of cluster munitions, an illegal weapon in most nations. A specific instance on 27 February showed evidence of Russian cluster munitions from a 220mm BM-27 Uragan rocket had hit a pre-school in Okhtyrka, Ukraine, killing three, including a child. UAV footage showed pools of blood following the attack. 

- Targeted shelling of humanitarian columns, specifically at the siege of Mariupol, as well as mining one of the agreed civilian evacuation routes. 

- Attacks on nuclear power plants, including the attack on the Zaporizhzhia plant. 

And these examples only scratch the surface of the allegations. More recent and more horrifying crimes include the Chernihiv massacre, where 47 civilians were killed by Russian forces whilst waiting in line for bread. The Bucha shooting, where Russian soldiers murdered three unarmed Ukrainian civilians who were delivering dog food to a dog shelter. The Mariupol hospital strike, where Russian forces bombed a maternity and children's hospital, killing children, new-born's, pregnant women and medical staff. The Mariupol theatre strike, wherein Russian forces bombed the theatre that was being used as an air raid shelter by civilians. The theatre even had the words 'children' spelt out in two locations to identify it as a civilian location. When it was bombed, only women and children were reported to be inside. As of the time of writing, casualty numbers are unknown as the rubble has not been cleared. 

Conclusions

Though Russia denies some of these instances, the overwhelming evidence from a plethora of sources points in the exact direction of Moscow. Putin sanctioned the invasion, making him responsible and complicit in the horrific murders, maiming's and destruction having occurred and continuing to occur in Ukraine. Consequently, it is of little surprise that the US President has come to look at Putin as what he is, a war criminal. 

Biden and Putin at a summit in 2021. Photo Credit: Reuters.

(Information sourced via: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-60773626 and https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-60597751 )