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WORLD NEWS Thursday 1 december 2022

EU seeks specialized court to investigate Russia war

crimes

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN
Associated Press
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Eu-
ropean Union proposed
Wednesday to set up a
U.N.-backed court to in-
vestigate possible war
crimes Russia committed in
Ukraine, and to use frozen
Russian assets to rebuild the
war-torn country.
European Commission
president Ursula von der
Leyen said in a video mes-
sage that the EU will work
with international partners
to get “the broadest inter-
national support possible”
for the tribunal, while con-
tinuing to support the Inter-
national Criminal Court.
Since Russian President
Vladimir Putin ordered the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen applauds during a ceremony marking
invasion of Ukraine on Feb. the 70th anniversary of the European Parliament, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022 in Strasbourg, eastern
24, his military forces have France.
been accused of abuses Associated Press
ranging from killings in the She called on Britain to lead caused to Ukraine.” restoration of residential
Kyiv suburb of Bucha to efforts to set up a criminal The EU said the lifting of water supplies, albeit at re-
deadly attacks on civil- tribunal to prosecute se- the restrictions on Russian duced pressure, thanks to
ian facilities, including the nior Russians, similar to the assets could be linked to electricity being restored
March 16 bombing of a postwar Nuremberg trials conclusion of a peace to water pumping stations.
theater in Mariupol that an of leading Nazis. deal between Ukraine and Power has returned to half
Associated Press investiga- Von der Leyen on Wednes- Russia that would settle the of Kherson city’s residents.
tion established likely killed day added that the EU question of damages repa- Russian shelling in Kherson
close to 600 people. Inves- wants to make Russia pay ration. In other Ukraine war damaged a hospital, an in-
tigations of military crimes for the destruction it caused developments: dustrial plant, a bank, resi-
committed during the war in neighboring Ukraine by Russia’s military appear to dential buildings and infra-
in Ukraine are underway using Russian assets frozen be studying targets, posi- structure.
around Europe, and the under sanctions. tioning warships and mak- At the shut-down Zaporizh-
Hague-based International She estimated the dam- ing other preparations to zhia nuclear plant in south-
Criminal Court has already age to Ukraine at 600 billion resume major attacks that ern Ukraine, Europe’s larg-
launched a probe. But euros ($617 billion). have crippled Ukraine’s en- est atomic power station,
because Russia does not “Russia and its oligarchs ergy and water infrastruc- Russian officials claimed
accept the International have to compensate ture, Ukrainian officials said Ukrainian shelling dam-
Criminal Court’s jurisdiction, Ukraine for the damage Wednesday. “At Russian aged a building and waste
the European Commission and cover the costs for re- airfields strategic aircraft storage facilities but that
said it presented to the 27 building the country,” von are equipped, tactical air- containers inside with ra-
EU countries two options to der Leyen said. “We have craft are equipped, and a dioactive substances were
hold the Kremlin account- the means to make Russia missile carrier is put on duty. not affected. Ukrainian au-
able: either a “special in- pay.” These are indirect signs thorities said the Russians
dependent international Von der Leyen said 300 bil- of preparing for a strike,” shelled the cities of Mar-
court based on a multilat- lion euros ($308 billion) of Ukrainian southern military hanets and Nikopol across
eral treaty or a specialized the Russian central bank command spokeswoman the Dnieper River from the
court integrated in a na- reserves has been immo- Natalia Humeniuk said on Zaporizhzhia plant.
tional justice system with in- bilized, and that 19 billion Ukrainian TV. Ukraine’s presidential of-
ternational judges a hybrid euros ($20 billion) of Russian Ukrainian officials reported fice said that at least five
court.” oligarchs’ money has been progress in restoring power civilians were killed and
Ukrainian first lady Olena frozen. “In the short term, nationwide, with the ener- 21 wounded in the latest
Zelenska on Tuesday also we could create with our gy deficit reduced to 27%. Russian shelling nation-
urged that Ukraine’s invad- partners a structure to man- The country’s electricity wide. Russian attacks in the
ers be held accountable. age these funds and invest system operator, Ukrener- Donetsk region focused on
“Victory is not the only them,” she said. “We would go, said that was a 3% im- the strategically located
thing we need. We need then use the proceeds provement from Tuesday. town of Kurdiumivka south
justice,” she told lawmak- for Ukraine, and once the In the hard-hit Kherson re- of Bakhmut. In Bakhmut,
ers in London, comparing sanctions are lifted, these gion that Russia illegally an- Russian rockets hit residen-
Russian war crimes to the funds should be used so nexed in September and tial buildings and a kinder-
atrocities Nazi Germany that Russia pays full com- Ukraine since reclaimed, garten, according to re-
committed in World War II. pensation for the damages officials reported partial gional authorities.q