Ukraine’s MoD establishes unit to investigate Russian war crimes
A civilian killed by the Russian military in Bucha (Photo:REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra)
An international law department will be created under the Ukrainian Defense Ministry to investigate Russia's war crimes and assist the Prosecutor-General’s Office, the Justice Ministry, and international institutions, the ministry said in a message on its website March 17.
“This will contribute to the investigation of Russian war crimes, the implementation of the norms of international humanitarian law, EU regulations, and NATO standards,” Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said.
“Commitment to international law is what distinguishes a democratic state from a legal nihilist.”
The department will be responsible for:
● implementation and execution of international law, as well as relevant cooperation;
● interaction with law enforcement agencies and international institutions;
● legal work regarding the creation of interdepartmental international agreements;
● adaptation of defense-related legislation to EU legal norms.
The department will be responsible for implementing NATO standards and norms into Ukraine’s legal framework, related to national security, sanctions policy, and war-related damage compensation.
On March 17, the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Ombudsman for Children, Maria Lvova-Belova.
They are accused of illegally deporting children from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia, which constitutes a war crime.
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