EU and Ukraine explore special tribunal for Putin and war officials

Brussels: Vladimir Putin and other senior Russian political and military officials could have a special tribunal set up by the EU and Ukraine.

The EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders says there are “two main options are being considered: an international court based on a multilateral agreement or a simplified solution based on a bilateral agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe”.

In addition, a special transfer mechanism will be created, to transfer cases from Ukrainian courts to this new court. The Netherlands expressed its readiness to host the court, in addition to the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA), which is already operational.

Reynders believes that the establishment of the tribunal is the last step: “The next step is a matter of political will. It will only start at the beginning of next year, and by the end of the year it could be a reality.”
Russia using the tactic of “repeated attacks”.

Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure continue in Ukraine. On Friday, several missiles hit residential areas in the southeast.

At least four people are reported dead and 20 wounded, including children, and journalists arrived on the scene. Russian forces are believed to have again employed the tactic of “repeated strikes”, when a new missile hit the site of a previous attack just as rescue equipment was arriving and starting work.