UK joins international push to hold Russia accountable for Ukraine invasion

Britain said on Friday it had joined a group of international partners pursuing criminal accountability for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The government said in a statement it had been invited by Ukraine to join the group and encouraged other G7 nations to also take part.

"These atrocities must not go unpunished," British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said, citing the deaths of soldiers and civilians and the displacement of millions of Ukrainians.

"That’s why the UK has accepted Ukraine’s invitation to join this coalition, bringing our legal expertise to the table to explore options to ensure Russia’s leaders are held to account fully for their actions.”

Russia, which calls its actions in Ukraine a "special military operation", has denied targeting civilians and other war crimes.

The statement said Britain's involvement would include assessing the feasibility of a new 'hybrid' tribunal, which it described as a specialised court integrated into Ukraine’s national justice system with international elements.

"An investigation into the Crime of Aggression could complement established mechanisms for investigating war crimes, including the International Criminal Court and Ukraine’s domestic legal process," the statement said.

"Together these parallel processes would help ensure all crimes are fully investigated and that perpetrators are held to account."