Russia invades Ukraine: UK vows to hunt down Putin's commanders responsible for war crimes

UK Justice Secretary Dominic Raab recently said that Russian commanders will be hunted down for war crimes if they follow Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin’s orders in Ukraine. It is to mention that the UK and 37 other nations have referred Russia to the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor to investigate the war crimes in Ukraine in the largest referral in the ICC’s history. Following this development, Raab, who is also UK’s deputy PM, stated that Britain is already planning to help identify and find fugitives suspected of war crimes. 

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Raab said that the United Kingdom has expertise in gathering intelligence from previous conflicts that could provide crucial evidence to place war criminals on trial. The British Justice Secretary stated that he was already in discussions with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss over the UK’s exact role. Raab told the media outlet that it is important to lay down a marker now and puncture the perception of impunity. 

“What we really want to do is get this message to Putin but also any commander in the field who may be thinking about what he is going to do with an illegal order that may cause him to commit war crimes,” Raab told The Daily Telegraph.  

"They need to know there is a very real chance that they will face the dock of a court in The Hague and a jail cell. That's why we will support the International Criminal Court, technically but also in terms of any other ways,” he added. 

UK prisons could house war criminals 

Further, the former lawyer, who has also prosecuted war criminals, said that during the Nuremberg Trials, the Yugoslav tribunal and at the ICC, the UK has always had cooperation and information. He mentioned that the UK has helped locate fugitives and provided key information to help the prosecutor’s office gather evidence to secure convictions. Raab also said that the UK could help with witness location and protection, and prisons in the country could house war criminals. 

“We have expertise in that area and provided lead information in the past that has proved absolutely critical," he added.

"Few countries around the world have that sort of capability,” Dominic Raab said. 

Meanwhile, as around 39 countries joined the UK’s referral of Moscow to ICC, British PM Boris Johnson asserted that Putin "cannot commit these horrific acts with impunity." The referral was supported by countries namely- Germany, France, Poland after Russian forces seized Ukrainian port city Kherson and Ukraine staged a robust resilience against Russia in the outskirts of Kyiv and Kharkiv. As per Independent, the move allowed ICC prosecutor Karim Khan to directly proceed to investigation without the need for judicial approval. 

(Image: AP)