Lithuania’s unanimous decision calls Russia’s actions in Ukraine genocide and terrorism .
The resolution, co-sponsored by Prime Minister Ingrida Simonite, said war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine included the deliberate killing of civilians, mass rapes, the forcible relocation of Ukrainian citizens to Russia and the destruction of economic and civil infrastructure.
Moscow denies targeting civilians and calls its invasion, launched on February 24, a “special military operation” to disarm Ukraine and rid the country of what it calls anti-Russian nationalists. Kyiv and the West say this is a false pretext for waging an unprovoked offensive war.
“The Russian Federation, whose military forces deliberately and systematically choose to bomb civilian targets, is a state that supports and commits terrorism,” the text of the parliamentary resolution said.
Lithuania’s move follows a similar unanimous vote by Canadian lawmakers on April 27 calling Russia’s attacks on Ukraine a “genocide.”
Leonid Slutsky, head of the lower house of the Russian parliament’s foreign affairs committee, said the resolution was not legally binding and simply repeated what he called “Russophobic views” of the United States.
The Russian official said the resolution was part of an “anti-Russian plan” and discriminatory actions against Russia that “have nothing to do with reality”, the Russian news agency TASS reported.
Lithuania, which was a member of the Soviet Union but is now part of the European Union and NATO, is one of the strongest critics of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Vilnius deported the Russian ambassador last month after Ukraine accused Russian forces of killing civilians in the town of Butsa, near the capital Kyiv.
US President Joe Biden said in April that he believed the invasion of Ukraine was tantamount to genocide, adding: “We will let lawyers decide internationally whether it meets the conditions or not, but it certainly seems so.”
SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
Source: Capital
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
