Lithuania officially calls Russia's war on Ukraine ‘genocide’

By Zehra Nur Duz

ANKARA (AA) - Lithuania’s parliament on Tuesday voted unanimously to recognize Russia’s war against Ukraine as “genocide,” according to the Baltic country’s public broadcaster.

“Russia's armed forces and mercenaries have committed mass war crimes on Ukrainian territory, in particular in Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol, Borodyanka, and Hostomel,” Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) quoted the resolution as saying.

Lithuania’s parliament “recognizes the full-scale armed aggression – war – against Ukraine by the armed forces of the Russian Federation and its political and military leadership … as genocide against the Ukrainian people," the resolution said.

The resolution stressed that all perpetrators must be held accountable and urged the international community to establish a special international criminal tribunal to investigate crimes committed by Russia.

"The Russian Federation, whose military forces deliberately and systematically target civilian targets, is a state that supports and perpetrates terrorism," the resolution said.

Lithuania, formerly part of the Soviet Union and now a NATO member, shares a 275-kilometer (171-mile) border with Russia.

At least 3,381 civilians have been killed and 3,680 others injured during the ongoing Ukraine war that started on Feb. 24, according to UN estimates. The true toll is feared to be much higher.

More than 5.91 million people have fled to other countries, with some 7.7 million people internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.