Russia committing 'war crimes' in Ukraine, says U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken

His remarks came as reports surfaced over the death of a U.S. citizen who was reportedly killed Thursday in Chernihiv by shelling. Two other Americans, including a former New York Times contributor and a Fox News camera operator, were killed earlier in the week.

Russia committing 'war crimes' in Ukraine, says U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken
Saul Loeb/Pool via AP
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed President Joe Biden’s remarks on Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of committing war crimes amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

“Yesterday, President Biden said that in his opinion, war crimes have been committed in Ukraine. Personally, I agree,” Blinken said at a press conference Thursday, adding, “Intentionally targeting civilians is a war crime. After all the destruction of the past few weeks, I find it difficult to conclude that the Russians are doing otherwise.”

“Russian forces bombed a theatre in Mariupol where hundreds of people had taken shelter. The word children had been written in Russian in giant white letters on the pavement outside the building so that you could know from the air that there were children inside,” Blinken noted.

“Russian forces also opened fire on 10 civilians who were waiting in line for bread,” Blinken continued, noting that the United States has seen a “long list of attacks on civilian and nonmilitary locations across Ukraine.”

His remarks came as reports surfaced over the death of a U.S. citizen who was reportedly killed Thursday in Chernihiv by shelling. Two other Americans, including a former New York Times contributor and a Fox News camera operator, were killed earlier in the week. It is unclear who killed them.

Despite the fact the Russians have initiated official discussions with Ukraine for a ceasefire, Blinken insisted to the press that the United States has not seen any “meaningful effort” by the Russians to stop the war through diplomatic means.

“If anything, he warned, Putin indicated in his remarks Wednesday that he is doubling down,” ABC News reported.

Members of the media present at the conference failed to press Blinken on whether America’s erroneous drone strike on a family of civilians in the final days of the disastrous Afghanistan exit would constitute a “war crime” under Blinken’s definition of the term.

Last October, the U.S. Department of Defense said it was working to provide compensation to the relatives of the 10 innocent Afghan civilians who were killed in the targeted strike, which was performed in retaliation to a terrorist bombing at Kabul’s airport that claimed the lives of over 170 civilians and 13 U.S. service members.

As Rebel News reported Thursday, President Biden and members of Congress continue to escalate tensions with Russia by referring to the Russian president as a “war criminal.” Senator Lindsey Graham tripled down his calls for the assassination of Putin.

“It’s time for him to go,” Graham said of Putin, echoing Biden’s off-the-cuff remarks that “He’s a war criminal.”

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