Holding the Aggressor Accountable

Abstract

The issue of the necessity to bring those responsible for the commission of crimes under international law during the ongoing international armed conflict in Ukraine, i.e., the aggressive war of the Russian Federation against sovereign Ukraine, does not raise any principal questions or doubts on the side of the international community. It is the matter of an appropriate forum, or fora to do so that needs to be properly addressed. This piece looks at possible judicial venues for holding the main ringleader of the aggressive war, namely, the President of the Russian Federation, and his closest high-ranking officials personally accountable for core crimes as a matter of individual criminal responsibility. Prospects for three judicial mechanisms, either already existing or potential, are reviewed and brief reflections are offered as to the realistic scenarios for each of those mechanisms given the status quo and ongoing developments.