Volodymyr Zelensky today told his supporters around the globe that invader Vladimir Putin’s forces were war criminals killing “peaceful Ukrainian people”.
Under-siege President Zelensky released a social media video in which he slammed Russia’s murderous aerial assault on the city of Kharkiv.
It came on a day dozens of UN diplomats in Geneva spoke for the world by turning their backs on Russian minister Sergei Lavrov and walking out during a video address from Moscow.
Mr Zelensky said: “Russian forces brutally fired on Kharkiv from jet artillery. It was clearly a war crime. There will be an international tribunal.
“No one in the world will forgive you for killing peaceful Ukrainian people.”
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Claims that Russia is committing war crimes are mounting, with growing international calls for the attacks on Kharkiv to be investigated.
The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan said there was “reasonable basis” to believe war crimes had been committed and that he plans to open an investigation “as rapidly as possible”.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the scenes “absolutely sickening”. “It has that feel to me of an atrocity committed deliberately against a civilian centre,” he said while visiting British troops in Estonia.
He added: “I cannot think of a time in international affairs when the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, has been so obvious.”
His Estonian counterpart Kaja Kallas warned: “What we are seeing in Ukraine is really very horrifying – to see what kind of steps they are taking, and now they are escalating this crisis.”
Latvian PM Arturs Krisjanis Karins said: “Putin’s army is now starting to target civilians. It may be an act of military desperation but I think by all accounts this amounts to a war crime, this targeting civilians, killing women and children, targeting housing – this is not acceptable by any standard.”
The White House confirmed it was studying whether “barbaric tactics” Being reported were war crimes.
Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey urged Britain to support Mr Khan’s ICC probe, with evidence difficult to gather during a war. He said: “He will need resources and technical experts, which Britain can supply.”
Mr Johnson was full of praise for popular Mr Zelenski, who had also urged MEPs in Strasbourg to accept Ukraine into the EU.
Wearing a green military T-shirt, the president said his country was fighting to protect European values.
He raised his fist as he received a standing ovation after saying in his video address: “Do prove that you are with us, do prove that you will not let us go, and then life will win over death, and light will win over darkness.” The parliament said it would look at the request for EU candidate status.
Speaking earlier in Warsaw, Poland, Mr Johnson said: “I marvel at his coolness under fire, his bravery, his invincible good humour. I think he is mobilising the world against the horror of what is happening.”
The admiration was in stark contrast to the shunning of Russia’s Mr Lavrov at the United Nations Human Rights Council. As he began his statement, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told delegates it was “full of disinformation” and did not deserve their attention.
Accusing the Russian President of having “blood on his hands”, she said: “The consequences of Vladimir Putin’s unjustified aggression are horrific.
“Russian troops are laying siege to peaceful cities, tanks are tearing through towns while missiles barrage homes and hospitals, Putin is murdering Ukrainians indiscriminately. There is blood on his hands.
“Putin is violating international law and human rights on an industrial scale and the world will not stand for it.There are no shades of grey.
This is Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked war against a sovereign nation.”
