Vladimir Putin came a step closer on Thursday to facing war crime charges as the International Criminal Court’s top prosecutor ordered a team of investigators to fly immediately to the Ukraine region.
ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan stressed that nearly 40 countries referring to the ICC alleged atrocities being committed by Russian forces had allowed the court to swiftly launch an inquiry.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: “It’s not only evidence of international concern over events on the ground in Ukraine but it allows us to jump start investigations so that we can collect evidence and work towards fulfilling our mandate.
“I’ve already despatched an advance team, the referral was yesterday, and the advance team is flying off to the region.”
Testimonies and other evidence would be collected to establish the truth of what is happening in Ukraine amid reports that more than 2,000 civilians, including children, have already been killed since the Russian invasion started last Thursday.
Britain and 37 allies referred Russia to the court over what Boris Johnson described as “abhorrent” attacks with Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv in particular having come under sustained air attack.
The Prime Minister tweeted on Wednesday night: “Tonight 38 countries from across the world have made the largest ever referral to the International Criminal Court for Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine.
“We are crystal clear that Putin cannot commit these horrific acts with impunity.”
The war crimes probe came as Ukraine’s capital Kyiv braced for a siege, its second-largest city Kharkiv reeled from further strikes and the control of port city Kherson was contested by the Russian military.
While according to the UN refugee agency, one million people have now fled Ukraine – making it the swiftest exodus of refugees this century.
The tally from UNHCR amounts to more than two per cent of Ukraine’s population on the move in under a week. The World Bank counted the country’s population at 44 million at the end of 2020.
A second round of talks aimed at ending the fighting was expected on Thursday, but there were little hopes of a breakthrough.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will meet counterparts from the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as part of the UK’s effort to demonstrate support for eastern Nato allies.
