Kremlin is being accused by lawyers for deliberately causing mass hunger in Mariupol.
Apparently, your demise wasn't an accident: When Russia laid siege to Mariupol, countless Ukrainians lost their lives. A report presented to the International Criminal Court states that Russia expressly disregarded the lives of innocent civilians and perpetrated a heinous act - a violation of the Geneva Conventions.
During the nearly three-month-long siege of Mariupol in early 2022, Russia appears to have intentionally starved the Ukrainian city. This is according to an examination shared with the International Criminal Court and reported by the British "Guardian." It's a war crime.
The examination is said to be the cornerstone of a dossier that Global Rights Compliance, in collaboration with the Ukrainian government, is preparing to file with the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The report purports that Russia and its leadership sought to inflict widespread suffering and mortality on civilians. Throughout the siege of Mariupol when it was the initial target of Russia's massive onslaught in 2022, thousands of people perished. The civilian population experienced extreme hardships, enduring days without water, gas, and electricity as temperatures plummeted below -10 degrees.
Catriona Murdoch, partner at Global Rights Compliance, asserted that the probe aimed to "uncover a broader narrative" transcending the deliberate denial of sustenance and other necessary resources by the Russian military and its commanders. Using such a starvation tactic is a war crime.
Russian assault in four stages
"We uncovered that the Russian assault transpired in four stages, starting with attacks on civilian infrastructure and the disruption of power, heating, and water supply. Subsequently, humanitarian evacuations were thwarted and even bombarded, while humanitarian relief supplies faced impediments," said Murdoch.
"In the third phase, the Russian military targeted essential infrastructure, terrorizing the civilian populace with bombings of aid stations and water stations," Murdoch continued. "In the fourth phase, Russia carried out strategic attacks to demolish or conquer the remaining infrastructure."
The gradual attack on Mariupol indicates that Russia intended to seize the city without consideration for the civilians. The dossier indicates that approximately 90% of Mariupol's healthcare facilities and structures were ruined or damaged throughout the siege, as well as food distribution centers and humanitarian evacuation routes were bombed.
Accountable authorities sit in the Kremlin
In light of Russia's centralized power structure, investigators charge that those atop the Russian state are culpable for the vast number of casualties: "Putin's guilty," Murdoch said. "So are the higher-ups in the Russian military leadership," although she refused to specify any commanders.
Based on the "Guardian's" reporting, the International Criminal Court entertains submissions from third parties but does not always act. Starvation and withholding vital supplies for civilians are classified as war crimes. To date, no suspects have been prosecuted.
Read also:
- The accusations against the Kremlin at the International Criminal Court include allegations of deliberately causing mass hunger in Mariupol, a violation of international law and a potential war crime initiated by Russia.
- Vladimir Putin and other Russian leaders could face charges in relation to war crimes committed during the war in Ukraine, specifically the attack on Mariupol, where civilians were targeted and starved as part of Russia's strategic assault.
- The International Criminal Court is considering investigating war crimes in Mariupol, including the Russian attack on the city, which led to a devastating siege and mass hunger, as well as deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid, water, and electricity supplies.
