(PresidentialHill.com)- Russia has been accused of committing war crimes during its invasion of Ukraine, and it’s responding in a rather unique and hostile way: It’s accusing Ukraine of committing similar war crimes.
Thus far, Moscow has put forth charges of crimes against humanity against 92 members with the armed forces in Ukraine.
Alexander Bastrykin, the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, proposed that an international tribunal be formed to consider the charges. He said that tribunal would be supported by Syria, Iran and Bolivia — three countries that he referred to as “independent.”
Of course, those three countries consistently find themselves backing Russia any time that the country is in conflict with any other western country, including the United States.
According to Bastrykin, Russia believes that “more than 220 persons, including representatives of the high command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as commanders of military units that shelled the civilian population” have committed crimes against humanity.
The Investigative Committee head told state-run media in Russia that the Kremlin has begun upward of 1,300 criminal investigations surrounding government and military leaders in Ukraine.
He told Rossiyskaya Gazeta:
“In the course of the preliminary investigation, more than 220 people have been identified as involved in crimes against the peace and security of humanity that do not have a statute of limitations, including representatives of the high command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as commanders of military units that fired at civilians.
“A total of 92 commanders and their subordinates have been charged. Ninety-six people were put on the wanted list, in particular 51 commanders of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
It’s ironic that earlier in July, more than 40 countries, including the United States, agreed that they would coordinate investigations that sought to unveil whether Russia has committed war crimes during their invasion of Ukraine.
Russian military units have seemingly shelled civilian infrastructure and areas indiscriminately and on a consistent basis since the war first started in February. Some evidence has also been uncovered that has shown Russian military officials have committed rape and have carried out summary executions throughout Ukraine, but especially in the region of Bucha.
Authorities in Ukraine also announced in early July that they would be investigating crimes of aggression and war crimes that Russian forces committed, and there were 21,000 of those investigations ongoing.
To this point, Russia has consistently denied that they’ve targeted any civilians during their invasion of Ukraine. Over the weekend, the country issued another denial of such, even after they attacked the port city of Odesa less than one day after they signed a deal that would allow Ukraine to transport grain to some locations that have been struck with famine.
Russia has been very inconsistent with their messaging, though. In the Odesa attack, they initially said they sunk one naval vessel. Then, they changed the story to say one of their cruise missiles contacted military infrastructure that was completely unrelated to the deal they made with Ukraine to allow them to ship grain.
