By Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws KC
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was and is a criminal act under international law. Despite Russia’s purported claims that Ukrainian territory is a historic and integral part of Russia, Ukraine remains a sovereign nation, and Russia’s invasion constitutes a Crime of Aggression.
Since the beginning of the invasion, the Russian state has committed numerous war crimes and atrocities. The Russian military has carried out a sustained campaign of targeting civilians and other non-military targets, ranging from schools and hospitals to crucial infrastructure. Notable among these was the attack on the Kakhovka Dam, which was destroyed on June 6th, 2023, unleashing a flood which led to the wholesale devastation of the affected area. Additionally, the shelling of the Zaporizhian nuclear power plant and the consequential disruption of its operation could have, if not unchecked, resulted in a nuclear disaster. Russia has also engaged in the repeated and continuous use of chemical weapons against Ukraine in clear violation of the Geneva Convention.