 |
| ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan (right in picture) visited Ukraine in April after accusations that Russian troops committed war crimes in Bucha |
International Military - Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to attack Ukraine with military force has angered Western countries. Although basically the relationship between the two camps has never been harmonious, Russia's actions this time are considered to have crossed the line. And it didn't take long for Western allies to position themselves as supporters of Ukrainian sovereignty.
At first, the West's way of helping Ukraine was by making a regulation that would harm Russia from within. One of them is to apply economic sanctions, Reuters reported on February 22 last, President Joe Biden announced new sanctions against Russia.
In imposing its economic sanctions, the US joined its European allies in responding to Putin's deployment of special military operations.
Quoted by the Jakarta Zone from the Washington Post, the "first phase" of the economic sanctions will target the two financial institutions there, the state debt, and Kremlin elites and their family members.
"We have cut off funding for the Russian government, they can't get any more money from the West," Biden said. "Then, they can no longer trade debt in the US or European markets," he added.
But, US efforts to stop Russia's attack on Ukraine did not stop there, its Western allies (European Union) announced that they were forming an advisory group. This advisory group aims to investigate what they consider Russia's war crimes in Ukraine.
Quoted from 19FortyFive, this investigative team was named the new Atrocities Crime Advisory Group for Ukraine (ACA). ACA is described as a Western effort to (1) investigate field conditions, (2) ensure coordination and support for accountability efforts on the ground. The group will strengthen US and European efforts to ensure accountability for crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine.
What is the real purpose of the investigation team?
US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken revealed the purpose of establishing the investigation team. According to Antony Blinken, the group will directly support the efforts of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office to document, preserve and analyze evidence of war crimes committed by Russian troops, with a view to criminal prosecution.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss also commented on this that her country held Russia accountable for the "heinous atrocities" in Ukraine. "The UK has made a clear commitment to supporting Ukraine in its investigations, including by deploying experts in war crimes and spending additional funds to assist the ACA in their investigations," Truss added.
Essentially, this investigative group will include experts from around the world to offer strategic advice and operational support for war crimes investigations by the Russian military. The ACA will also work to preserve and collect evidence relating to these crimes.
This investigative team will be divided into several groups and will be deployed to Ukraine and Eastern Europe to assist investigators on the ground. These teams will be responsible for investigating, documenting and ultimately assisting the prosecution of those found to be involved in war crimes and atrocities.
What is a war crime?
Generally, war crimes are acts committed during wartime in violation of international law. Quoted 19FortyFive from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Article 8 which defines war crimes as serious offences.
These violations include willful killing, torture, inhumane treatment intentionally causing great suffering extensive destruction and seizure of property, deprivation of the rights of prisoners of war, hostage taking, or unlawful deportation of civilians.
And what Russia commits war crimes in Ukraine if taken from the Rome Statute according to the West is the deliberate destruction of residential property, rape and torture of innocent civilians, and kidnapping.