Question

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a war criminal.

Answer 1

This claim borders on opinion, but the phrasing—“is a war criminal” versus “should be considered a war criminal”—gives us some room to evaluate the evidence.

It’s true that Russian officials have promoted this label. According to TASS, Russia’s state news agency, Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said Zelensky “should be arrested and tried as a terrorist or eliminated after Kiev’s capitulation,” and Donetsk People’s Republic head Denis Pushilin explicitly called him a “war criminal.”

Human-rights groups have also criticized Ukraine’s tactics. For example, The Washington Post cites Human Rights Watch: “The use of unguided rockets [by Ukraine] in populated areas is a violation of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes.” However, in their various reports regarding this conflict, neither Amnesty International nor HRW has ever held Zelensky personally responsible for those actions.

Moreover, there is no open case against Zelensky at the International Criminal Court (ICC)—the global body charged with investigating and reporting war crimes. Nor is he named in the ICC’s ongoing “Situation in Ukraine” investigation. In fact, none of the six individuals listed are even Ukrainian.

Answer 2

This claim is misleading. As of July 2025, no international court or credible investigative body, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), has charged or indicted Zelenskyy with war crimes. Ukraine, under Zelenskyy’s leadership, has faced ongoing conflict due to Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion. Allegations of war crimes have largely been directed at Russian forces, with the United Nations and ICC documenting numerous attacks on civilians, torture, and forced deportations committed by Russian troops.