The Russians shot down an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane, killing dozens of passengers. Their military fired at the aircraft in such a way that the missile exploded next to the plane, causing shrapnel damage that forced the plane to make an emergency landing. The plane was also denied permission to land at a Russian airport, despite requesting clearance.
All of this clearly constitutes a violation of international law by Russia, for which it and its leadership must be held accountable. This holds true even if there had previously been activity by military drones in the area.
There are two main reasons for this. The first is that the shooter must always ensure the military nature of the target being fired upon. Additionally—and this is the second reason—Russia is conducting an illegal war against Ukraine, making it ultimately responsible for all the consequences of that war.
Either of these reasons alone constitutes a clear war crime for which the perpetrator must be brought to an international tribunal in The Hague for assessment and sentencing. And this task must not fail if this tribunal is to have any legitimacy in the future. This remains true even if it is unlikely that the perpetrators of this particular war crime will ever serve the sentences imposed on them.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Can Peace Emerge from Horrific War Crimes?
From Finland to Olaf Scholz: The Imperative of Supporting Ukraine's Independence instead of its Finlandization
Moldova's Election Challenged – Western Support Needed
Russia itself is a big crime. The more Ukraina hits Russian military targets, the faster the war ends.
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