Center to probe Russia's invasion of Ukraine opens in Hague

An international center to investigate Russia's invasion of Ukraine is set to open in The Hague on Monday.

Senior officials are scheduled to hold a press conference at the headquarters of Eurojust, the EU's judicial agency, at 11:15 a.m. local time (0915 UTC).

The International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression (ICPA) includes prosecutors from Ukraine, the European Union and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

What else do we know about the center?

The United States, which is not a member of the ICC, will also participate in the newly-opened center.

Among the officials are Ukrainian prosecutor general Andriy Kostin, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, US Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite and EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders, Eurojust said.

The EU said that the center had the "ultimate aim of prosecuting those responsible for the invasion" of Ukraine.

The center is expected to collect evidence and prepare charges against Kremlin officials. Eurojust has already opened a central database for evidence on war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Kyiv demands prosecution of invasion

The ICC had previously opened an investigation into the issue of alleged child deportations by Moscow but has no mandate to probe the broader crime of aggression. The court has issued an international arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin over the allegations.

The Ukrainian government has been demanding a special war crimes tribunal after hundreds of bodies were discovered in the central Ukrainian town of Bucha in April 2022.

In April 2023, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte to discuss the establishment of a tribunal to prosecute Moscow.

Source: DW