Austria has joined a group of states seeking to emulate Russian aggression in the war in Ukraine. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced this on Friday. The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has been investigating since last year.
According to media reports, arrest warrants against certain Russians will soon be sought. They are accused of abducting Ukrainian children and being involved in civilian attacks. However, the Kremlin does not recognize the criminal court. “There is a gap in jurisdiction when it comes to punishing the crime of aggression – the ICC cannot investigate in this area,” Austria’s foreign ministry explained why they joined a group of states.
Schallenberg: “Crime of Aggression”
“Russia is guilty not only of war crimes and the most serious human rights violations in Ukraine, but also of the crime of aggression,” Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) said. It must be ensured that those responsible are held accountable. With its accession, Austria “supports Ukraine in its demand that this crime should not go unpunished”.
Austria also supports the UN Human Rights Council’s Commission of Inquiry, which collects evidence and documents possible war crimes, the ministry said. This commission released a report on Thursday accusing Russian troops of attacks on energy infrastructure in Ukraine and torture, among other things. It could even be a crime against humanity, he said.
The new group of states includes 33 countries, including Austria, and is led by Ukraine. “As the number (members of the group of states, note) increases, so does confidence that the Russian leadership will be held accountable,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said confidently ahead of the accession from Austria.
Source: Krone
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