The US Senate late on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution seeking investigations of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his regime for war crimes over the invasion of Ukraine.
The bipartisan measure from US Senator Lindsey Graham said that the Senate strongly condemns the “violence, war crimes, crimes against humanity” being carried out by Russian military forces under Putin’s direction.
It encourages international criminal courts to investigate Putin, his security council and military leaders for possible war crimes.
Photo: AFP
“These atrocities deserve to be investigated for war crimes,” US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
The measure was swiftly approved and without dissent as lawmakers in the US Congress continue to muscle a bipartisan show of force against the Russian war in Ukraine.
First introduced almost two weeks ago, the Senate resolution would not carry the force of law, but is another example of Congress providing US President Joe Biden’s administration with political support to take a tough line against Putin’s aggression.
Last week, US Vice President Kamala Harris embraced calls for an international war crimes probe of Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, citing the “atrocities” of bombing civilians, including a maternity hospital.
Speaking alongside Polish President Andrzej Duda at a news conference in Warsaw, Harris stopped short of directly accusing Russia of having committed war crimes.
“Absolutely there should be an investigation, and we should all be watching,” said Harris, adding that the UN has already started a process to review allegations.
The International Criminal Court had earlier announced it has launched an investigation that could target senior officials believed responsible for war crimes and other contraventions over the war in Ukraine.
The resolution approved by the Senate has been embraced by Republican and Democrat senators alike.
It says the Senate condemns Putin, the Russian Federation, the Russian Security Council, members of the Russian military and others of committing flagrant acts of aggression and other atrocities that rise to the level of war crimes.
The resolution calls for the US and others to seek investigations of Putin and his regime at the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice for potential war crimes.
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