Ukraine’s Zelensky calls for international tribunal for Russian war crimes during ICC visit
- Without justice, no peace is possible, Zelensky said, citing trials of WWII Nazi leaders as a model for dealing with Russians in Ukraine atrocities
- He praised the work of the ICC, which launched investigations after the Russian invasion and issued an international arrest warrant for President Putin
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his call for an international tribunal to prosecute Russian war crimes and aggression against his country in a speech on Thursday after visiting the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
Without justice, no peace is possible, Zelensky argued in his speech. He held up the trial of high-ranking Nazi leaders at Nuremberg after World War II as a model for how to deal with Russians implicated in atrocities in Ukraine.
“The sustainability of peace arises from complete justice toward the aggressor,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky praised the work of the ICC, which launched investigations soon after the Russian invasion and in March issued an international arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes.
The Ukrainian president visited the ICC earlier on Thursday during his unannounced trip to the Netherlands, which has pledged both financial and military support to Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022.
20,000 Russians killed in Ukraine war since December, US says
The Netherlands has pledged both financial and military support to Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022.
“It’s so exciting to see him! I hope he goes inside and tells them that this war has to stop,” said 12-year-old Zlata, who was part of a family of three Ukrainians standing outside the court.
Zelensky also met Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo is also set to meet Zelensky.
A large fire erupted at a fuel storage facility in southern Russia, not far from the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, following a drone attack, the Russian state news agency TASS reported early on Thursday citing emergency responders.
The attack took place at the Ilski oil refinery in the town of the same name and caused a fire at its reservoir, the report said.
A similar incident occurred a day earlier in the Russian village of Volna, near Crimea.
The attacks have been perceived as potential preparation for an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive aimed at liberating territory under Russian occupation.
In renewed drone attacks across Ukraine overnight, Russia particularly targeted the port city of Odesa.
“The enemy directed 15 Shahed-131/136 [Iranian unstaffed aerial vehicle] drones at Odesa during the night,” the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Southern Command said on Thursday.
Twelve of the drones were shot down and three started a fire in a residential building, but it was quickly extinguished without casualties, it said. In total, 18 of 24 drones targeting Ukraine have been shot down, according to the air force.
03:09
Ukraine denies Russia’s claim it tried to assassinate Vladimir Putin with drone attack on Kremlin
As in the previous night, the drones were launched from the Western Russian region of Bryansk and from the eastern shore of the Sea of Azov, according to Ukrainian sources. In addition to Odesa, drone attacks were also reported from the capital Kyiv. According to the military administration, however, all the drones were destroyed on approach.
The head of the military administration, Serhiy Popko, said that drone debris had fallen into some residential areas but had not caused any damage.
Meanwhile, British intelligence officials said on Thursday that successful drone attacks on Russian oil storage depots near Ukraine border have highlighted a weak point in Russian military logistics.
Repeated drone attacks have caused major fires at fuel storage locations. Britain’s Ministry of Defence said the frequency of those fires is likely to force Russia to reorganise its logistics to either better protect fuel supplies or move storage facilities further from the front lines.
