International Prosecutor to Probe Possible War Crimes in Ukraine

Karim Khan, chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, said on Monday that he has decided to proceed "as rapidly as possible" with opening an investigation into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Khan said in a statement on the court's website that there is "a reasonable basis to believe that both alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in Ukraine".

"I have already tasked my team to explore all evidence preservation opportunities," he said.

Although Ukraine is not an ICC member state, it has officially accepted the jurisdiction of the international court, which allows Khan to investigate.

Khan said that authorisation for the opening of an investigation would be speeded up if an ICC member referred the situation to his office.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte has already said that her government intends to ask the ICC to investigate possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine.

"There is new material coming in every day, but we have enough of it by now to file the request," Simonyte said on Monday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alleged on Tuesday that Russia committed a war crime by deliberately targeting civilians during attacks on the city of Kharkiv which left dozens of people dead, BBC News reported.

International human rights groups have accused Russia of using cluster bombs in populated civilian areas of Ukraine during the ongoing invasion.

A residential area of Kyiv after shelling by Russian forces on Monday. Photo: EPA-EFE/SERGEY DOLZHENKO.

Amnesty International said on Sunday that cluster munitions were dropped on a nursery and...