Are there any “untouchables” in war? A general explains why even heads of state are not completely immune
26 April 21:15
YOUTUBE
Despite international norms that provide for a certain degree of immunity for state leaders, modern warfare—particularly Russia’s actions—effectively nullifies these rules.
This was stated by Major General (ret.), former Deputy Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Viktor Yagun in an interview with the YouTube channel "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to Yagun, in the classical understanding of international law, there is a limited circle of individuals who enjoy certain immunity during wartime.
“There are three individuals who have certain immunity—the head of state, the prime minister, and the foreign minister,” he explained.
This approach is linked to the need to preserve diplomatic channels and the possibility of negotiations. However, the expert emphasized that in practice, there are no absolute guarantees of safety.
Yagun also noted that Russia’s actions in the war against Ukraine go beyond generally accepted norms of warfare.
“Attempts to eliminate the Ukrainian leadership certainly do not fall within the normal concepts of warfare,” he stated.
Separately, he highlighted systematic violations that bear the hallmarks of terrorist activity. Furthermore, he noted that new evidence of war crimes is emerging.
“The disclosed documents reveal horrific information—both about the killing of prisoners of war and about torture,” Yagun added.
According to Viktor Yagun, the formal rules of war are increasingly losing their force in the context of modern conflicts. Despite the existence of international norms, reality demonstrates that the safety of even the highest state leadership is not guaranteed, especially when one of the parties ignores the basic principles of international law.
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