US Formally Accuses Russia of War Crimes in Ukraine

The accusation comes as the US is increasing support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, which regularly targets civilians

The US government on Wednesday formally accused Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine, a move that comes after President Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal.”

“Today, I can announce that, based on information currently available, the US government assesses that members of Russia’s forces have committed war crimes in Ukraine,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

It’s not clear if Blinken’s statement means the US will take any action. He said the US is committed to “pursuing accountability using every tool available, including criminal prosecutions.”

While appearing only symbolic, the statement will likely anger Russia since the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the US ambassador in Moscow over Biden’s comments about Putin. The statement also exposes the hypocrisy of the US, which has a long history of bombing civilian targets and trying to cover it up.

The US accusation comes as the Biden administration is increasing military support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, which regularly targets civilians. In January, the US-backed coalition bombed a migrant detention facility in Sadaa, which reportedly killed at least 91 civilians.

As the US is banning energy imports from Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, it is looking to Saudi Arabia and the UAE to ease global oil prices. Both Gulf nations are part of the coalition that has been waging war on Yemen since 2015. The UN estimated that by the end of 2021, 377,000 people have been killed by the war in Yemen, 70% of which were children under the age of five.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.