Blinken recognizes Russia's actions in Ukraine as war crime

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that although the investigation is not finished, he agrees with President Joe Biden that Putin is a war criminal and that Russian military attacks on civilians in Ukraine are a war crime.

He said this at a press briefing in Washington on Thursday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"Yesterday, President Biden said that in his opinion, war crimes have been committed in Ukraine. Personally, I agree. Intentionally targeting civilians is a war crime. After all the destruction of the past few weeks, I find it difficult to conclude that the Russians are doing otherwise," Blinken said.

He acknowledged reports on intentional attacks from the bombing of the Drama Theater in Mariupol housing children to opening fire at people waiting in line for bread

"These incidents join a long list of attacks on civilian non-military locations across Ukraine, including apartment buildings, public squares, and last week, a maternity hospital in Mariupol. I doubt that any of us who saw those images will ever forget," Blinken said.

Biden on Wednesday called Putin a "war criminal" for the first time. The U.S. State Department is currently in the process of investigating Russia's war crimes, which should establish official conclusions on Russian war crimes committed in Ukraine.