The Ukraine government and experts from the International Criminal Court are on the ground now collecting evidence of war crimes. But they must establish a legal connection between specific crimes on the battlefield and instructions from the Kremlin, so it’s difficult to prove the direct guilt of Putin and Russia’s political leaders.

Since Russia doesn’t recognise the jurisdiction of the court, the fear is that the international system will only ever deliver low-grade army officials to court, while the leadership who started this war goes free.

Ukraine is calling for a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression to be set up now. The act of aggression is called the mother of all crimes because leaders should be culpable for crimes committed in the field even without a direct link; their decision to invade another country illegally is the fundamental crime from which stems all other war crimes.

A Special Tribunal can be established straightaway so the world can see that, soon, justice will be done.

Once it starts to prepare indictments and issue arrest warrants, it will prove that international law has muscle. It will help to end the war sooner when Team Putin begins to realise it can’t evade consequences forever. Russia-friendly countries will think twice before shaking the blood-soaked hands of international criminals.

Josie's Stuff column is here.