A mayor in Lithuania has a blunt message for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who launched an attack on Ukraine and is facing investigation for possible war crimes, including attacks on civilians.
Remigijus Simasius, the mayor of Vilnius, the capital, and a team of volunteers painted “Putin, The Hague is waiting for you” in large block letters on a street just outside the Russian embassy, according to Reuters.
A handout image provided by the mayor’s office to the news agency shows the stencil in place:
The message comes as Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan of the International Criminal Court ― located in The Hague, in the Netherlands ― announced an investigation of Putin over potential war crimes.
In one instance, Russia is accused of using fearsome thermobaric weapons, aka “vacuum bombs.”
“If that were true, it would potentially be a war crime,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said this week, adding that the U.S. has not yet confirmed use of the weapons.
CNN reporters over the weekend said they spotted a thermobaric rocket launcher moving into position near the border.
There are also multiple videos online of Russian strikes on civilian targets, and reports of deaths and injuries among civilians.