A common definition of a “Criminal” would be someone who illegally and physically harms another human or misappropriates others’ property that results in punishment by a court.
The above word “illegally” here covers many different situations and can relate to deliberate or negligent acts or omissions performed without a right as prescribed by law.
This definition certainly covers the acts of a state when it attacks another state that was in no way a physical or imminent threat to the attacker.
Putin & his Comrades certainly fall into this definition because they control the Russian Army:
- The Russians are killing and wounding civilians indiscriminately in Ukraine.
- The Russians are raping men, women, and children in Ukraine – yes men, women and children before killing some of them.
- The Russians are destroying the homes and basic civilian infrastructure of Ukraine.
- The Russians are bombing schools and hospitals.
- They are stealing property of the Ukrainian people and sending it back to Russia for their families.
- They are kidnapping men, women and children by forcibly sending them to Russia.
- They are touring and killing Ukrainian soldiers in convention of the international law and conventions.
- The Russians are even threatening to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine.
Does anything more need to be said?
Putin & Comrades are War Criminals… just like Hitler that great Nazi leader… Russians should be totally ashamed of their leaders’ actions.
The same definition can also apply to other leaders and their close associates who engage in cruel acts of war.
The definition can be applied equally to many leaders in the West and elsewhere who have done things they should have later been prosecuted for, if there was such a tribunal, with the legal power to do so!