UK PM Boris Johnson says Russia already guilty of 'war crime' in Ukraine
Story highlights
Johnson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy have agreed on a call that sanctions need to go further to exert maximum pressure on Russia's Vladimir Putin in the coming days
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday called Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal after civilians were bombed in Ukraine.
"What we have seen already from Vladimir Putin's regime, in the use of the munitions that they have already been dropping on innocent civilians, in my view already fully qualifies as a war crime," he told parliament.
The office of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Monday said it would seek court approval to open an investigation into alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
Seven days into the war, roughly 874,000 people have fled Ukraine and the UN refugee agency warned the number could cross the 1 million mark soon.
Johnson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy have agreed on a call that sanctions need to go further to exert maximum pressure on Russia's Vladimir Putin in coming days, a Downing Street spokesperson said on Wednesday.
"The Prime Minister told President Zelenskyy (on call) that the UK was rallying UN General Assembly members today, to ensure the strongest possible condemnation of Russia at this afternoon's UN meeting in New York," the spokesperson added.
Johnson said law firms working to stop Russian oligarchs from being hit by government sanctions could face penalties themselves.
"The legal profession, everybody involved in assisting in those who wish to hide money in London and assisting corrupt oligarchs have been set on notice that their actions are under scrutiny," Johnson told parliament.
"If they break the law, if they undermine the interests of this country and advance the interests of Putin's war machine, they will pay a price."
Russia renewed its assault Wednesday on Ukraine’s second-largest city in a pounding that lit up the skyline with balls of fire over populated areas, even as both sides said they were ready to resume talks aimed at stopping the new devastating war in Europe.
The escalation of attacks on crowded cities followed an initial round of talks between outgunned Ukraine and nuclear power Russia on Monday that resulted in only a promise to meet again.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s goals are not clear, but the West has warned he may be seeking to topple the government and install a Kremlin-friendly regime.
Zelensky has decried Russia’s attacks on civilian targets as a blatant terror campaign, while US President Joe Biden warned on Tuesday that if the Russian leader didn’t “pay a price” for the invasion, the aggression wouldn’t stop with one country.
(With inputs from agencies)
