Syrian mercenaries whom the Russian Federation intends to enlist in the war in Ukraine on the side of the aggressor will have grave consequences in the field of application of the Geneva Conventions. This was announced by the ex-Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine Gunduz Mammadov on his Twitter.

" And, as I understand it, the number will increase,"

So, according to the lawyer, the Syrians, whom the Russian Federation will involve in aggression in Ukraine, will be considered mercenaries. And if they participate in crimes committed on the territory of Ukraine by Russian troops, they will be jointly and severally liable with the Russians, as violators of Art.. 47 Additional Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions.

At the same time, the Syrians who will fight in Ukraine are not a category protected by the provisions of the Geneva Conventions (regarding prisoners - ed..

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Recall that the Geneva Conventions are an international treaty that establishes in international law the norms of humane treatment in time of war.. To date, the treaty consists of four agreements and three additional protocols.. The uniqueness of the Geneva Conventions lies in the fact that, together with the UN Charter, they are the only international treaties in which all states participate.. This is evidence of the unshakable significance of their norms and the personification of the state's belonging to the international community..

St. 47 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions defines attacks and their scope. "

The provisions of this section apply to any military action on land, in the air or at sea that is likely to cause harm to the civilian population, individual civilians or civilian objects on land..

Denying, ignoring the fundamental norms proclaimed in the Geneva Conventions, puts the state outside the civilized community, and qualifies the actions of the individual as war crimes along with aggression, genocide and crimes against humanity, which are considered international crimes and fall under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.

Russia withdrew from the Geneva Convention for the Protection of Civilian Persons in International Armed Conflicts in November 2019.

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This was preceded by a UN decision that recognized Russia's violation of the Geneva Conventions on Crimea..

Prior to this, the Convention was binding on the territory of the USSR, and subsequently Russia, as the successor of this state, from August 12, 1949.

At the same time, the provisions of the Convention are valid on the territory of Ukraine..