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War Crimes in Ukraine?

"I think he is a war criminal," President Biden said after remarks at the White House earlier this month. The comments, that followed an emotional address to Congress from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Whilst the International Criminal Court at the Hague has opened an investigation into war crimes in Ukraine, it would seem that Biden’s comments were meant more in a colloquial rather than legal perspective.
It was met with a furious response from Moscow. The Russian government met with U.S. ambassador to Russia John Sullivan and said, in that conversation, 'it was emphasized that remarks such as these by the American President, which are unworthy of a state figure of such a high rank, put Russian-American relations on the verge of a breach.'
So, are war crimes happening in the less than month long escalation in Ukraine? To the uninformed observer it would appear almost certainly so. Images of schools being destroyed along with a range of other civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, shops and of course homes have dominated the headlines. The numbers of killed and injured civilians have steadily ticked up with a likely large gap between verified and actual figures.
Unlike other recent conflicts such as those in Yemen, Syria and Afghanistan; the fact that we’re witnessing a conventional battle between two ‘near peer’ State competitors means that the scale and intensity of fighting is unprecedented for the modern age. We’ve seen large scale formations of armour, artillery and the use of state-of-the-art weapons including hypersonic missiles and thermobaric weapons.
The damage to urban areas has been immense and has triggered a displacement crisis as almost a quarter of the Ukrainian population have been forced from their homes. A city in the east of Ukraine ‘no longer exists’ after being completely destroyed in Russian attacks. Volnovakha has been devastated amid the ongoing Russian invasion but fighting continues for territory to prevent an encirclement according to Donetsk governor Pavlo Kyrylenko.
Mariupol is the worst-hit area of Ukraine, facing almost constant shelling. Ukrainian authorities say about 90% of buildings in the city have been damaged or destroyed. Yet according to the laws of war a city can be destroyed legally as long as certain principles – such as distinction, proportionality and military necessity are observed. It is why the ICRC describe war in cities as a “deadly choice”. Other scholars have pointed to the fact that the largescale urbanisation of humanity in recent decades means that modern warfare requires significant changes in the regulation to adequately protect civilians.
The issue of verification is critical to establishing who did what in a warzone, even if the act itself is contested as a clear-cut war crime or not. Verification has always been difficult to establish as independent observers often struggle to access the site of the incident due to the intensity of fighting or having their access denied by one or more of the armed actors involved in the conflict. Currently, the rise of ‘false flag’ attacks and a highly contested information environment makes it even harder to shine the light of truth upon the darkness and chaos of some of the worst conflicts. Was a school getting hit, apparently 140 have been damaged already in Ukraine, the result of direct targeting of a civilian building? An accident? Incompetence? Or the result of one side assessing that the building was being used by its enemies?
Part of the debate around the legality of the conflict is rooted in its origins. Some argue that Russia committed a crime of aggression by launching an illegal war. Yet that doesn’t mean that all behaviour in an illegal war is itself illegal, although guilt by association is an understandable narrative from the public’s points of view across large parts of the world.
Russia’s sharp reaction to President Biden’s comments is possibly explained by a number of reasons. Firstly, it’s a reminder that Washington remains the predominant global power and even off the cuff comments from the White House land in Moscow. Secondly it shows that Putin is thinking beyond Ukraine and that carrying a ‘war criminal’ label may make any attempt to reconnect Russia into much of the world that much harder. Meanwhile events in Ukraine may well be defined by a series of war crimes. Yet at this stage the verification of these crimes, let alone accountability for them, remains more of a theory than a reality.
BY: James Denselow
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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