Bipartisan bill introduced to declare Russia's actions in Ukraine as genocide

A bipartisan group of senators introduced a resolution this week that would formally recognize Russian actions in Ukraine, such as forced deportations to Russia and the purposeful killing of Ukrainian civilians in mass atrocities, as constituting a genocide against the people of Ukraine.

Authored by Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) of the Foreign Relations Committee, the bill was introduced shortly after Ukrainian first lady delivered an impassioned address to Congress where she said, “Russia is destroying our people.”

The bill’s sponsors cited Russia’s forced deportation of Ukrainians and the “purposeful killing of Ukrainian civilians in mass atrocities” as justifications for using the powerful term.

“There is no question that what Russia is doing in Ukraine is a genocide,” said Risch in a statement.

“If you could walk the streets of Kyiv, Irpin and Hostomel like I did last month, and listen to the stories of what the Russian soldiers have done, this is a genocide. The international community is documenting the many Russian abuses that constitute war crimes across Ukraine. It’s time the United States and the world recognize it as such.”

“For five months, the world has seen the brutal, unjustified, and utterly senseless war Russia’s dictator has unleashed on Ukraine,” said Cardin.

“Russia is trying to eviscerate not just the people and the buildings of Ukraine, but also they are trying to eliminate the Ukrainian language, Ukrainian history and Ukrainian culture. This is genocide. The world must recognize this fact and those responsible must be held accountable.”

The bill’s other sponsors include Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

The bill also calls on the United States, along with NATO and EU allies, to support the government of Ukraine to prevent further acts of Russian genocide against the Ukrainian people and supports investigations into the allegations to “hold Russian political leaders and military personnel accountable.”

Russian soldiers have been accused of war crimes during their “special military operation,” including the rape of Ukrainian civilian women.

Both the U.S. and Russia are members of the Geneva Convention, which in 1948 codified a formal definition of genocide into international law. Observers of the Ukraine invasion have been careful about declaring a genocide because it may require a nation to take action against the aggressor.