ICC Prosecutor opens formal investigation into situation of Ukraine

That’s according to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

It is noted that the events of recent days, in particular, the unprovoked escalation of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, give reason to believe that crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC are being committed in Ukraine. Along with the situations in Crimea and Donbas, there are grounds to claim that the aggressor's troops continue to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The Ministry said that, despite the fact that Ukraine is not a party to the Rome Statute, the state has recognized its ad hoc jurisdiction based on statements submitted earlier. Indeed, Ukraine has filed two applications with the International Criminal Court. The first one concerned the events that took place in Ukraine in the period from November 21, 2013, to February 22, 2014, and the second one concerned continued crimes committed in the period from February 20, 2014. The analysis of these two appeals gave the Prosecutor's Office all grounds to allege that war crimes and crimes against humanity are being committed.

"Russia's top military and political leadership is bound to appear before the International Criminal Court and be held accountable for every crime committed. This will be the Nuremberg Trials of the 21st century," the Foreign Ministry said.

The war with Russian invaders has been going on in Ukraine since February 24. The United States, the European Union, and other countries have imposed sanctions on Russia as an aggressor, whose international isolation is expanding by the day.

Ukraine has officially filed a lawsuit against the Russian Federation with the UN International Criminal Court in The Hague.