MOSCOW, Russia – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov revealed in an interview with the state RIA news agency that Russian courts have sentenced over 200 Ukrainian fighters to prison terms since the start of Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine. The conflict between the two nations has resulted in both sides accusing each other of committing numerous atrocities, with the United Nations finding evidence of war crimes and human rights violations committed by Russian authorities.
In response to the ongoing conflict, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in March, alleging Moscow’s forcible deportation of Ukrainian children as a war crime. Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin hailed the decision as a historic moment, stating that it sends a clear signal that no one can be above the law. The Ukraine Prosecutor General’s office has registered over 121,000 Russian crimes of aggression and war crimes since the conflict began.
Lavrov also revealed that Russia’s investigative committee has initiated 4,000 criminal cases against about 900 Ukrainian individuals, including members of radical nationalist associations, representatives of Ukrainian security forces and mercenaries, as well as representatives of the military and political leadership of Ukraine.
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to result in human rights violations and war crimes, with both sides pointing fingers at each other. The revelation from Lavrov sheds light on the extent of the legal repercussions faced by Ukrainian fighters, as well as the criminal cases initiated by Russian authorities. The conflict shows no sign of abating, and the international community continues to monitor the situation closely.