Russia must be held accountable for its crimes

A medic looks through a window of a hospital damaged in a Russian drone strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Dan Bashakov)

Numerous reports allege that Russia is committing war crimes on a scale comparable to World War II. They reveal that the Russian army routinely tortures and kills Ukrainians taken prisoner and purposely targets civilian infrastructure, including apartment buildings, shopping malls, schools and utilities.

In the latest particularly disgusting display, Russian army units are reportedly hunting civilians with drones for sport. The Ukrainians refer to this as a “human safari.”

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, international organizations, journalists, human rights groups and Ukrainian investigators have documented evidence of unlawful killings, torture, sexual violence, forced deportations, deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and widespread violations of international humanitarian law.

Holding Russian leaders accountable is important to provide justice to victims, establish a historical record and reinforce the principle that violations of the laws of war and humanitarian law should not go unpunished.

Human Rights Watch reported in December 2025 that Russian authorities and military forces systematically tortured Ukrainian prisoners of war using physical and psychological abuse and holding detainees in inhumane conditions. The United Nations reported that evidence collected from hundreds of former prisoners indicated an extensive pattern of torture intended to break prisoners psychologically and physically. Such treatment violates Geneva Conventions protections for prisoners of war.

International humanitarian law prohibits sexual violence against civilians and detainees. The U.N. Human Rights Office has reported over 1,000 cases of rape and sexual violence in areas occupied by Russian forces. Human Rights Watch has documented evidence of sexual violence in several territories occupied by Russian forces.

But the most egregious crime is what Russia is doing with Ukrainian children. The forced transfer and deportation of Ukraine’s children is a major area of international concern and a crime under several international conventions.

The Institute for the Study of War has documented extensive efforts to Russify Ukrainian children, which seem to be part of Putin’s effort to address Russia’s drastic population decline. Taking children from their homes and attempting to change their cultural identity or nationality during an armed conflict defies international laws designed to protect cultural heritage.

In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for Children’s Rights, over alleged unlawful deportation and transfer of over 20,000 Ukrainian children to Russia. According to the court, there are reasonable grounds to believe the suspects bore criminal responsibility for these acts.

In addition to Putin, the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, based on alleged responsibility for attacks against civilian infrastructure.

The scale of civilian suffering is ongoing and growing. According to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, at least 2,514 civilians were killed and 12,142 injured during 2025, and civilian casualty rates have remained high throughout 2026. Since the beginning of the war, over 12,000 Ukrainian civilians have been verified as killed and about 25,000 injured.

Accountability for war crimes presents significant challenges. International courts must collect reliable evidence, establish individual responsibility and distinguish between intentional crimes and casualties resulting from lawful military operations. Nevertheless, investigations by the International Criminal Court, United Nations and independent human rights organizations have created substantial proof.

Documented atrocities in Ukraine highlight the importance of international humanitarian law. War does not eliminate legal protections for civilians or prisoners, and military necessity does not excuse torture, intentional attacks on civilians, summary execution or unlawful deportation.

Welcoming Russia back into the community of nations when this war ends should not be considered until the military and civilian leaders guilty of war crimes have been held to account. And inviting Russian officials to events held in the United States, and especially to the White House, is frankly disgraceful.

John Fairlamb, Ph.D., is a retired Army colonel who served for 45 years as a commissioned officer and Department of the Army civilian in a variety of Joint Service positions formulating and implementing national security strategies and policies.