Assessing Russia's Weaponization of Food and Its Compliance with International Law Safeguarding the Right to Food for Ukrainian Civilians and Ensuring Accountability for the War Crime of Starvation

Starvation of civilians as a military tactic has a long history, which continues today. Despite protections enacted by the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, as well as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, civilian access to food is still weaponized in armed conflicts. To date, no State has been sanctioned, and no individuals have been internationally prosecuted for engaging in the war crime of starvation. During its war against Ukraine, a significant part of Russia's strategy has entailed attacking and degrading critical resources and civilian infrastructure, such as food itself and agricultural infrastructure. This Article studies the denial of food to civilians in Ukraine as a method of warfare since 2022, including such attacks, as well as denial of access to relief supplies. Within the framework of the right to food, it assesses both Russia's culpability for the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare under international humanitarian law and that of individuals acting on its behalf under international criminal law. It also examines the practical challenges of holding them accountable for their actions.