International legal aspects of Russia's war against Ukraine in Eastern Ukraine

Abstract

The war in Eastern Ukraine, from the perspective of international law, should be qualified as Russian aggression and Russia's war against Ukraine. This qualification is corroborated by a number of international documents. Russia's aggression against Ukraine should also be legally qualified as both direct and indirect aggression because the former not only mobilized and sent its mercenaries into the territory of Ukraine, but also directly invaded Ukrainian territory using its regular armed forces. Not only should Russia's leaders be accused of committing war crimes and crimes against the peace in Ukraine, but the Russian State and its people should also bear international legal and moral responsibility for this war against Ukraine.