David Scheffer, the first U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues (1997-2001), shared his insights on the prospects of holding Russian leadership accountable for genocide against the Ukrainian people in an interview with Yurydychna Praktyka. The interview was published with the support of the UK-based NGO eyeWitness to Atrocities.

David Scheffer. Photo: https://www.law.northwestern.edu/

According to Scheffer, the international community has already gathered substantial evidence, particularly regarding the forced deportation of Ukrainian children and other crimes that could be classified as genocide. He also emphasized that Russian propagandists could face investigation for inciting genocide. 

"Russian propagandists can certainly be investigated for incitement to genocide. The crime of genocide is not committed solely by political and military leaders. In the case of the media at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, propagandists were convicted for inciting genocide. At the Nuremberg Trials, Hans Fritzsche and Julius Streicher were among the leading propagandists prosecuted—Streicher was convicted, while Fritzsche was acquitted. Russian propagandists could similarly be investigated under the principle of universal jurisdiction in national courts, as well as by the International Criminal Court," Scheffer noted. 

He also highlighted the critical role of digital tools in documenting war crimes, stating that technologies like eyeWitness to Atrocities are transforming how evidence is collected and preserved. 

Read the full interview here (in Ukrainian).

About eyeWitness to Atrocities: Founded in 2015 after years of research in law and technology, eyeWitness to Atrocities is a non-governmental organization that provides a secure, free-to-use mobile application designed for individuals documenting war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and other serious human rights violations. The app ensures that all recorded files remain unaltered while automatically embedding metadata such as date, time, and geolocation. All materials are securely stored and protected until they are handed over to investigators.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, users in Ukraine have submitted over 53,000 photos, videos, and audio recordings through the eyeWitness app.

Tags: eyeWitness to Atrocities, tribunal