THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS

TWO RUSSIAN COMMANDERS charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Court at the Hague have indicated that they are coming to face their accusers as fast as their armed forces can arrange the trip.

Lt General Sergei Kobylash of the Russian Air Force, and Admiral Viktor Solokov of its Black Sea Fleet, have told the Dutch-based court that they hope to make it there very soon, and will be accompanied by a number of supporters.

The two are charged with missile strikes on Ukrainian electronic infrastructure.

“Infrastructure is a legitimate target when used by the military,” explained international law expert Joachim Von Nurnburg. “The problem arises when both civilians and the military use the same facilities. During WW2, the allies just blasted Germany to hell and relied on the We Won Defence. More recently, Western military forces have attacked infrastructure without consequence. One thinks of North Vietnam immediately but there have been others.

“Both Iraq’s and Serbia’s infrastructure were attacked by the US and NATO in those conflicts but no one was ever charged by the ICC. Israel’s current offensive in Gaza speaks for itself. Indeed, Ukraine has made multiple attacks on the Kerch Bridge connecting Crimea to Russia, which is used by civilians. And then, of course, there’s the Nord Stream Pipeline.

“One really hopes that these two Russians don’t choose to appear voluntarily before the court. I’d hate to see what European infrastructure might look like then.”