A top Russian official said in late July that Moscow had charged 92 members of the Ukrainian armed forces with “crimes against the peace and security of mankind” and opened over 1,300 criminal investigations. Are there any grounds, and should we take this Russian move seriously?
A growing number of states have opened investigations into international crimes committed in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion last month. While high-profile international courts like the International Criminal Court have a role to play in bringing accountability, the future of international criminal law is predominantly domestic, says Sergey Vasiliev. And Ukraine must remain the primary actor in this unprecedented move of ‘solidarity justice’.