How Russia’s attack on Ukraine violates international law
PBS NewsHourMar 05, 2022
As the first war crimes trial of a Russian soldier commenced in Kyiv on Wed., Vadim Shishimarin, 21, pleaded guilty to the Feb. 28 murder of a 62-year-old man.
A day previously, Karim Khan QC, the British chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, announced that the court has sent its "largest ever" team of experts to Ukraine. The 42-strong group is made up of investigators, forensic experts and support staff, and will collect evidence of alleged Russian war crimes.
This invasion is an egregious violation of international law. Putin's ultimate aim is to restore the Soviet empire, even if it takes massive bloodshed and false pretexts such as calling the 2014 Ukrainian revolution after a fraudulent election a "coup". This unprovoked attack is the latest chapter in Putin's Orwellian attempt to rewrite history.
NATO and the US have ignored Russia's security concerns by breaking its promise not to expand eastward in return for German reunification. These concerns are legitimate and taking them seriously would have avoided the Ukraine tragedy.
There is a 4% chance that Putin and Zelenskyy will meet to discuss the peaceful resolution of the Russian-Ukraine conflict before 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.