Justice Secretary Dominic Raab is visiting the International Criminal Court (ICC) today to offer the UK’s help in gathering evidence to prosecute Vladimir Putin for possible war crimes in Ukraine.

Mr Raab will meet the court’s prosecutor, British lawyer Karim AA Khan, in The Hague to offer “technical support in bringing those responsible for war crimes in Ukraine to justice”.

He said that will include supporting with “the immediate priority of gathering and preserving evidence”.

The justice secretary added: “Russian commanders carrying out war crimes should know they cannot act with impunity.

“Like Radovan Karadzic and Charles Taylor before them, their actions risk landing them in a jail cell.”

Follow live updates on the Ukraine war

The UK will offer a range of evidence gathering help, from police and military analysis to specialist IT and legal expertise.

Ukraine invasion: Conflict sparked by Russian invasion could last ‘months, if not years’, deputy PM Dominic Raab warns

Ukraine invasion: Russian commanders ‘will be hunted down for war crimes’, justice secretary warns

Dominic Raab reveals plans to create 4,000 new prison places

A statement from the Ministry of Justice said: “It might eventually lead to witness relocation and imprisoning those found guilty, as the UK has done for previous war crimes.”

Ukraine developments:

Countries grouping together for evidence gathering

Mr Raab will also meet “ambassadors” from other countries so they can all help the ICC to investigate war crimes in Ukraine.

Before becoming an MP, Mr Raab was the Foreign Office’s head of war crimes at the British embassy in The Hague, and negotiated agreements that have since allowed for witnesses to be relocated to the UK.

It also led to convicted war criminals serving their sentences in UK prisons, including former Republika Srpska leader Radovan Karadzic who was convicted of genocide in Bosnia, and former Liberian president Charles Taylor, who was convicted of war crimes in Sierra Leone.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Pregnant woman’s death a ‘war crime’

Ahead of Mr Raab’s visit, it was revealed a pregnant woman pictured being evacuated from a bombed maternity hospital in Mariupol last week has died, as has her baby.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid told Sky News’ Kay Burley it was a war crime.

“It’s an appalling atrocity. It’s a war crime. Because under international law you cannot attack health facilities, hospitals,” he said.

He said the World Health Organisation has documented evidence of “at least 31 such attacks of health facilities” in Ukraine by Russia, including the shelling of a cancer hospital at the end of last week.

Single Russian toe cap ‘will be war with NATO’

Mr Javid added that any infringement of Russia into a NATO country “will be a war with NATO”.

“If there was an attack on any NATO country, even just a single toe cap of a Russian soldier steps into NATO territory, it will be a war with NATO and NATO would respond.

“There would be a significant response from NATO if there was any kind of attack from Russia, we’ve been very, very clear on that.”

Follow the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

Asked if NATO would get involved if there was a chemical attack in Ukraine, he said: “Our message has been very clear from the start, any kind of attack, anything that touches NATO territory or impacts NATO in any significant way, then we would respond.”

Related posts:

PM leads politicians’ tributes to Prince Philip’s lifelong ‘ethic of service’ David Cameron ‘told friends it was a mistake’ to text chancellor to lobby him for his employer Review launched into Greensill Capital following David Cameron lobbying row Carrie Johnson urges other pregnant women to get vaccine after getting her second jab PM wants to avoid COVID vaccine passports ‘if we possibly can’ – but will keep them ‘in reserve’ COVID-19 vaccine invites for 12 to 15-year-olds will start being sent out next week Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s mother Charlotte Johnson Wahl dies aged 79 Boris Johnson’s cabinet reshuffle: Who’s in and who’s out 75 Tory MPs likely to rebel against PM on vote for further COVID restrictions How did your MP vote on COVID passes as Plan B rules approved by Commons? Boris Johnson has thrown some ‘red meat’ but the drip, drip of damage continues Tory MP defects to Labour telling Boris Johnson he is ‘incapable of offering leadership’