War Decree

The situation in the annexed Crimea and Sevastopol "is equivalent to the international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation." Such a conclusion is contained in the annual report on the investigations, which was published on Monday by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague Fatu Bensud.

The armed conflict, the document was noted, began no later than February 26, 2014, when Russian troops began the intervention in the Crimea. "The right of international armed conflicts is applicable after March 18, 2014 (when an agreement was signed in Moscow on the inclusion of a peninsula in Russia. - Ed.) To the extent that the situation in the territory of Crimea and Sevastopol will be equivalent to the continuing state of the occupation," Bensis emphasizes.

The legitimacy of Russia's intervention on Ukraine is not required, the report is also said. "For the purposes of the Roman Statute (the Code guided by the Mus. - Ed.), The armed conflict may be international in essence if one or more states will partially or completely occupy the territory of another state, regardless of whether the occupation is accompanied by armed resistance," the prosecutor explains.

The investigation of the “Situation in Ukraine” case is carried out since April 25, 2014. It was opened on the statement of the Ukrainian authorities of April 17 of the same year, which concerned crimes committed during the Euromaidan.

On September 8, 2015, the Ukrainian government submitted a new statement about crimes committed from February 20, 2014, when, judging by the commemorative medal issued in Russia after the annexation of Crimea, the Kremlin began to capture the peninsula. On September 29, 2015, this statement was attached to the case.

In total, more than 20 requests for crimes during the Euromaidan were submitted by different applicants in the Musa and at least 48 - about crimes committed after the start of Russian aggression against Ukraine.