The Russian Military Intervention in Ukraine: An Analysis through the Lens of International Law

Russian troops invaded Ukrainian territory on February 22, 2022, for the sake of defending its borders from the alleged NATO threat, led by the United States. This move created widespread legal debate, calling for a number of positions on whether Russia’s actions were justifiable self-defence in international law or breached the Geneva Conventions governing international humanitarian law. This research paper aims to bring to the fore the military activities carried out by Russian soldiers in Ukraine, taking into account the legality of such a military operation under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which discusses the right to self-defence and exercise of the right of self-defence on the part of states. We shall also examine whether military intervention violates humanitarian law. The analysis shall use relevant legal documents, albeit more specifically, the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court of 1998, in addition to using the United Nations Charter and those that are supplementary. To this effect, the paper will examine the subjectivity of operations to international law and humanitarian implications thereof towards Ukraine. The findings of this research on the legality of military interventions and state responsibilities according to international law will offer a complete appreciation of the legal and ethical dimensions of the conflict.