Ukraine Draws Up Plans To Probe Vladimir Putin For War Crimes Via Special International Tribunal

Kyiv is reportedly attempting to form a special international tribunal to investigate Russian President Vladimir Putin and his top military affiliates for invading Ukraine. 

What Happened: The deputy head of Ukraine's presidential administration, Andrii Smirnov, said the country is drawing up plans for the tribunal to investigate Russia's alleged "crime of aggression," according to Agence France-Presse.

The report noted that prosecutors had identified about 600 suspects in the aggression, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine stretches into its sixth month.

The court is "the only way to make sure that the criminals who started the Ukraine war are held accountable quickly," Smirnov told AFP.

See Also: Zelenskyy Said Ukraine 'Reborn' When Putin Invaded The Country: 'Most Terrible Iron Is Not Missiles, Aircraft, And Tanks But...'

"The world has a short memory. That's why I would like this tribunal to start working next year," Smirnov said. 

He added that the war-torn nation knows the accused will not be present, but the court ruling "will serve to make sure that these people are labeled as criminals and that they cannot travel in the civilized world."

Why It Matters: The International Criminal Court (ICC) adopted the definition of the "crime of aggression" in the 2010 Rome Statute, used in trials where serious acts of aggression have been carried out using state military force, as per the report.

The ICC had already been looking into war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Ukraine. However, it couldn't open up an investigation until either Ukraine or Russia had ratified the Rome Statute.

Check out more of Benzinga's Europe and Asia coverage by following this link.