Zelensky calls for international probe into 'entire Russian system'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is pushing for all those involved in the Russian invasion of his country, including the masterminds behind the war, to be held responsible before an international court.

"We will dismantle this entire Russian genocidal system, from the cogs to the architects, and bring them to legal verdicts," Zelensky said in his daily video address following a meeting with International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan in Kiev on Tuesday.

While conceding that this wouldn't be an easy task, the Ukrainian president said "responding to Russian crimes in the face of this aggression exactly in terms of the rule of law and exactly with the power of an international court is what will serve as one of the guarantees of the long-term future security of both Ukrainians and other nations."

Russia's invasion of Ukraine would inevitably have legal consequences for all those who planned, approved and implemented it, Zelensky said, stressing that not only those who executed the plans but also "the top political and military leadership of the terrorist state" should be investigated.

ICC Chief Prosecutor Khan is already investigating the situation in Ukraine. Investigations can cover war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

However it is currently not possible for the ICC to take action against the Russian leadership, including President Vladimir Putin, because neither Russia nor Ukraine are parties to the Rome Statute which is the legal basis for the court.

This is one of the reasons why Zelensky called for a special tribunal at the UN General Assembly in September.