Ukraine's Selenskyj Demands Accountability for Russian War Crimes

Three years after Ukrainian forces reclaimed the town of Bucha, marked by horrific atrocities, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reiterated the need for accountability for Russia's war crimes. In a recent evening address, he emphasized, 'Those responsible for these crimes must be held accountable.' He asserted that it is unacceptable for Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, to evade responsibility for their actions.

Bucha, located near Kyiv, was home to approximately 50,000 residents before the war. It was occupied by Russian troops during the early days of the conflict in spring 2022. After liberation, Ukrainian forces discovered numerous civilian casualties in the streets, some bound and executed, which have made Bucha emblematic of Russian war crimes. A subsequent United Nations report confirmed the deaths of dozens of civilians in the area. Russian officials, however, have continuously denied these allegations, labeling them as fabrications.

Zelenskyy further stated that it is impossible to normalize the actions committed by Russian forces in Bucha, Mariupol, and numerous other towns and villages. 'We will persist in our efforts to ensure that Russia is held accountable for this war,' he declared.

According to Ukrainian sources, around 1,400 civilian deaths were recorded in Bucha, including nearly 40 children. More than 170 bodies were reportedly discovered in mass graves and torture sites.

In addition to his call for accountability, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the support extended to Ukraine and the pressure imposed on Moscow by London. He indicated that preparations are underway for a meeting of military representatives to discuss troop contributions.

Starmer announced that a meeting involving representatives from the UK, France, and Ukraine is scheduled for the coming days to advance security planning for Kyiv. The UK and France are leading a 'coalition of the willing' that has expressed readiness to secure a ceasefire with a troop contingent. Russia, however, has firmly opposed the deployment of European troops in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to meet with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that President Putin is anticipated to receive Wang for discussions. China, a close ally of Russia, has expressed concerns regarding the international ramifications of the conflict. A peace plan proposed by Beijing was rejected by Ukraine due to its alignment with Russian interests. Should the United Nations play a role in any resolution, China, as a permanent member of the Security Council, would be involved.

In a related development, President Putin has announced the conscription of 160,000 young men into military service amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. According to a presidential decree, this mobilization targets Russian males aged 18 to 30 and is set to occur by mid-July. This marks the highest draft number since the Kremlin shifted towards a professional military structure in 2012. Russia continues to draft over 100,000 men twice a year for one-year service.

Since the invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has increased its military strength three times, with the most recent order raising the target troop level to 2.4 million, including 1.5 million soldiers. Officially, draftees are not participating in the war against Ukraine; however, they have been involved in several engagements along the Russian border.