THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL GROUNDS FOR RECOGNIZING THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AS A STATE-SPONSORED TERRORISM AND PUNISHMENT FOR COMMITTING THE CRIME OF AGGRESSION (AGGRESSIVE WAR) AND WAR CRIMES ON THE TERRITORY OF UKRAINE

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17721/1728-2292.2022/2-56/94-99

Keywords:

International Criminal Court, special international tribunal, individual criminal responsibility, International Humanitarian Law, war criminals, Rome Statute, terrorist acts, private military companies, sentence, Independent missions

Abstract

In connection with armed aggression, violation of a range of international treaties, customary norms of international law, commission of acts of terrorism, many questions arise about the status of the state-sponsored terrorism and criminal prosecutions of the perpetrators of the offense. The purpose of this research is to examine and cover current issues of recognizing the Russian Federation as a state-sponsored terrorism and bringing to individual criminal responsibility the military-political leadership for the crime of aggression and war crimes.

The research is based on such methods as analysis, synthesis, generalization and comparison, formal-logical and analytical methods.

The analysis and researches of the legal grounds in international law for the recognition of the Russian Federation as a state-sponsored terrorism were carried out, along with general provisions of individual criminal responsibility for crimes against international customary law. Doctrinal approaches to granting status and a definition of the concept of "state-sponsored terrorism" were contemplated and formed respectively, the categories for granting that status are emphasized and the recognition of the Russian Federation is justified by means of the analysis of requirements and documented cases and incidents of unlawful acts committed by Russia. The provisions of the Text of the Articles on the Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts of the ILC, the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2625 (XXV), the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism are covered, as well as the prospects for recognition as a state-sponsored terrorism by the UN Security Council and the imposition of economic sanctions.

The study reveals the issues of criminal responsibility of individuals, namely the military and political leadership of the Russian Federation for the crime of aggression and combatants, other persons for war crimes. The concept of crime of aggression and war crimes is defined, the accusations of the Russian Federation of waging an aggressive war of conquest and committing war crimes in accordance with the categories and summary of the reports of independent missions of international organizations are justified and grounded.

Having exemined the provisions of international legal instruments, reports and statements of international organizations that were conducted in Ukraine on the fact of unlawful actions of the Russian Federation, several practical advices on the international legal recognition of Russia as a state-sponsored terrorism was developed and the concepts of creating a special tribunal for the crime of aggression were proposed and noted the prospective of the punishment and criminal responsibility of war criminals.

References

Статут Організації Об'єднаних Націй / Представництво ООН в Україні. – Київ : Департамент громадської інформації ООН, 2008. – 67 с.

Bassiouni, M. C. Legal Control of International Terrorism: A Policy- Oriented Assessment / M. C. Bassiouni // Harvard International Law Journal. – 2002. – Vol. 43, no. 1. – P. 83–103.

Maogoto J. N. War on the Enemy: Self-defence and State-sponsored Terrorism / J. N. Maogoto // Melbourne Journal of International Law. – 2003. – Vol. 4(2). – С. 406–438.

Human rights violations by private military and security companies, particularly the Wagner Group : European Parliament resolution of 25 November 2021 No. 2021/2982(RSP). URL: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/ doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0482_EN.html (date of access: 29.10.2022). – Назва з екрана.

Міжнародне публічне право : підручник : у 2 т. / [В. В. Мицик, М. В. Буроменський, О. В. Буткевич та ін.]; за ред. В. В. Мицика. – Харків: Право, 2019. – Т. 1 : Основи теорії. – 416 с.

Report of the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya : United Nations Human Rights Council Report of 29 November 2021 No. A/HRC/48/83 // United Nations Human Rights Council. – 2021. – 29 November. – 32 p.

Cohan J. A. Formulation of a State's Response to Terrorism and State-Sponsored Terrorism / J. A. Cohan // Pace International Law Review. – 2002. – Vol. 14, issue 1 spring, article 3. – P. 78–119. URL: https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/pilr/vol14/iss1/3 (date of access: 29.10.2022). – Назва з екрана.

Ensuring accountability for the downing of flight MH17 [Electronic resource] : Report of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of 03 June 2022 Doc. 15543. URL: https://pace.coe.int/pdf/cb845deb1af 033340736c1acb186331e123fb0a2da6a13a89a3e33a6654c9ef2/doc.%201 5543.pdf (date of access: 29.10.2022). – Назва з екрана.

Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations : Resolution of the General Assembly of 24 October 1970 No. A/RES/2625(XXV).

Міжнародне публічне право : підручник : у 2 т. / [В. В. Мицик, М. В. Буроменський, М. М. Гнатовський та ін.]; за заг. ред. В. В. Мицика. – Харків : Право, 2019. – Т. 2 : Основні галузі. – 624 с.

Римський статут Міжнародного кримінального суду : Статут ООН від 17.07.1998 р. №995_588 [Електронний ресурс]. – Режим досту- пу: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_588#n3 (дата звернення: 30.10.2022). – Назва з екрана.

Bassiouni, M. C. International Crimes: Jus Cogens and Obligatio Erga Omnes / M. C. Bassiouni // Law and Contemporary Problems. – 1996. – Vol. 59, no. 4. – P. 63–74.

Злочини вчинені в період повномасштабного вторгнення РФ [Електронний ресурс] // Офіс Генерального прокурора України. – 2022. – Режим доступу: https://warcrimes.gov.ua/all-crimes.html (дата звернен- ня: 05.11.2022). – Назва з екрана.

Activation of the jurisdiction of the Court over the crime of aggression : Resolution of the ICC of 14.12.2017 No. ICC-ASP/16/Res.5 URL: https://asp.icc-cpi.int/sites/asp/files/asp_docs/Resolutions/ASP16/ICCASP- 16-Res5-ENG.pdf (date of access: 05.11.2022). – Назва з екрана.

Statement calling for the creation of a special tribunal for the punishment of the crime of aggression against Ukraine & Declaration on a special tribunal for the punishment of the crime of aggression against Ukraine // The Royal Institute of International Affairs. – London : Chatham House, 2022. – 5 p.

Proposal for a Resolution by the United Nations General Assembly and Accompanying Proposal for a Statute of a Special Tribunal for Ukraine on the Crime of Aggression // The Ukraine Task Force of The Global Accountability Network Presents. – 2022. – 15 p. – URL: https://2022.uba.ua/ wp-content/uploads/2022/09/uktf_unproposal_specialtribunal_resolutionandstatute_ 7sep2022.pdf (date of access: 05.11.2022). – Назва з екрана.

Consequences of the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine – Accountability for international crimes : Decision of Ministers' Deputies on the 1442nd meeting of 15.09.2022 No. CM/Del/ Dec(2022)1442/2.3 // Council of Europe. – 2022. – 15 September.

Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine : United Nations Human Rights Council Report of 18 October 2022 No. A/77/533 // United Nations Human Rights Council. – 2022. – 18 October. – 17 p.

Further notification on receipt of referrals and of Article 18 letters : Notification of the Prosecutor's Office of 18.03.2022 No. ICC-01/22-7.

Published

2024-05-27

How to Cite

THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL GROUNDS FOR RECOGNIZING THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AS A STATE-SPONSORED TERRORISM AND PUNISHMENT FOR COMMITTING THE CRIME OF AGGRESSION (AGGRESSIVE WAR) AND WAR CRIMES ON THE TERRITORY OF UKRAINE. (2024). Вісник: Міжнародні відносини, 56(2), 94-99. https://doi.org/10.17721/1728-2292.2022/2-56/94-99