Chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC) Karim Khan visited Kharkiv [7] on June 16 with Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova to document evidence of war crimes. During his visit Khan called [8] the city a "crime scene," and toured [9] the places hardest hit by Russian bombing. "We must make sure that the whole world sees that the law works," Khan said [8], promising to prosecute war criminals. Venediktova praised Khan for his visit, saying [10], "Prosecutors are working even under fire gathering evidence for [Ukrainian and international] courts." Venediktova reported [7] that 760 civilians have been killed, over 1,000 injured, and 4,000 buildings [9] destroyed in Kharkiv oblast due to Russian shelling.
Russia's UN representative has dismissed the ICC and its rulings as illegitimate, saying [11]: "Neither the ICC nor the West are bothered about numerous crimes of the Kiev regime…"
From Jurist [12], June 1. Used with permission.
Note: Both the International Criminal Court and UN Human Rights Council have opened investigations [13] into possible war crimes in Ukraine.
