HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW


	This news can be disturbing.  If you are worried about how it makes you feel, read it with an adult you trust.  		Many accuse Russia of war crimes.  		Russia’s accusers say the crimes include bombing and killing innocent civilians.  		Many countries are beginning to investigate alleged crimes to gather evidence.  		Read below to learn more about the legal process.  ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️ 


Russia is accused of war crimes in Ukraine.
On Monday, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly accused Russia of violating international law following the release of images showing the bodies of civilians killed on the streets of the Ukrainian city of Bucha.
She is the last of many world leaders to make the accusation.
“This weekend, people witnessed a heinous and irrational attack on innocent civilians in Bucha. These terrorist acts will not go unpunished,” Jolie told a news conference on Monday.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has denied the allegations.
He said the images coming from outside Kyiv were directed to make Russia look ugly.
Some, including Bucha Mayor Anatoly Fedoru, say that if the crimes are not prosecuted (that is, if those responsible are not punished for their actions), they will continue to happen and could be repeated in other countries.


What is a war crime? 
In 1949, after the devastation of World War II, many countries around the world signed a series of treaties that set humanitarian standards and laws for future wars.
A boy walks past graves with the bodies of civilians who, according to locals, were killed by Russian soldiers in Bukha, Ukraine.  (Image: Vladyslav Musiienko / Reuters)
These treaties were called the Geneva Conventions.
Among other things, the laws set standards for the protection of civilians and prisoners of war during conflict.
A prisoner of war is someone who is held captive by an opposing force.  An example would be if a Ukrainian is captured and held captive by Russian forces.
Any serious violation of these safeguards can be considered a war crime.
This includes things like:


	Intentional homicide (killing someone without justification).  		Torture or inhuman treatment.  		Deliberate launching of attacks on civilians.  		Killing an enemy soldier who has surrendered and laid down his arms. 


What war crimes is Russia accused of? 
One allegation is that Russia deliberately killed civilians during a bombing last month at a theater and maternity hospital in Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine.
Journalists gather around a mass grave in the Church of St. Andrew and the Pyervozvannoho All Saints in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kiev, Ukraine on April 5.  (Credit picture: Rodrigo Abd / The Associated Press) 
Another accusation is that Russia has killed many innocent civilians in many suburbs of Kiev. 
Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said Sunday that dozens of civilians had been killed on the streets of Kiev’s Irpin, Bucha and Hostomel suburbs after Russian troops withdrew.
Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said the bodies of 410 civilians had been removed from cities in the Kiev region recently recaptured by Russian forces.


What happens next? 
In order to prosecute Russia for war crimes, countries around the world are investigating and gathering evidence. 
They hope to use this evidence if they are able to bring those responsible for the war crimes to justice.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Bucha, a city near Kyiv, on Monday.  In recent photos, the images show what appear to be corpses of Ukrainian civilians.  (Image: Alkis Konstantinidis / Reuters)
This evidence may include documentation, photographs, videos, and witness statements.
So far, some countries, such as France, Germany, Norway, Poland and Ukraine, have launched investigations into alleged war crimes committed in Ukraine.
That is, they must prove that these actions were deliberate and not just a matter of human error that may occur during the war.
They will also have to prove who was in charge, whether it is a soldier or someone at a higher level.
Many experts say the images coming out of suburbs outside Kyiv this week appear to be war crimes, but that some of the first bombings in early March may be more difficult to prove intentional.


What is Canada’s role in this? 
Together with the countries launching their own investigations, the International Criminal Court (ICC), based in The Hague (a city in the Netherlands), has the power to investigate allegations of war crimes.
Last month, International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan said he was launching an investigation “into the situation in Ukraine”.
Canada has said it will support the ICC investigation by sending RCMP special investigators to help.
Those seeking to investigate Russia’s war crimes hope to prevent Russia from continuing to violate international law.


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With files from CBC News