The horror that followed the bombing of civilian targets in Ukraine was felt throughout the world.  As the number of civilian deaths and injuries rose, so did the ire of the world against the Russian attacks.

            This isn't World War II where the stories and images took days or weeks to be displayed to disbelievers.  It is coming to us in real-time, sometimes only minutes after the atrocities occur.

            Now comes the stories and images of horrific war-crimes with the uncovering of mass civilian graves and evidence of civilian executions at the hands of Russian soldiers.

            When will it stop; and what will happen to the perpetrators of these heinous crimes against humanity?

            The United States and many other countries have imposed sanctions against Russia and many of its' financial institutions, along with some of its' wealthy oligarchs.  More sanctions have been recently imposed, including family members of the wealthy. 

            Of the recent round of sanctions, a White House released statement reported "These individuals have enriched themselves at the expense of the Russian people … Some of them are responsible for providing the support necessary to underpin Putin's war on Ukraine. This action cuts them off from the U.S. financial system and freezes any assets they hold in the United States."

            Sanctions now, but when this war ends Russia must be held accountable.

            At the end of World War II, from 1945 through 1949, a series of 13 Nuremberg trials were held.  The defendants included Nazi Party officials and high-ranking military officers along with German industrialists, lawyers and doctors who were indicted on such charges as crimes against peace and crimes against humanity.

          Twenty-four individuals and six Nazi organizations were indicted.  The defendants chose their own lawyers. 

          Adolf Hitler, Heinrich Himmler, and Joseph Goebbels escaped the court when they committed suicide before the trials began.  The Nuremberg trials are regarded by many countries as a milestone toward the establishment of a permanent international court, and an important precedent for dealing with later instances of genocide and other crimes against humanity.

          At the conclusion of the trials, all but three of the defendants were found guilty.  Twelve were sentenced to death and the rest were given prison sentences ranging from 10 years to life behind bars. Ten of the condemned were executed by hanging on October 16, 1946.

          Russian leaders, high-ranking military officers and all others who are indicted for war crimes must too be held accountable.

          The Ukrainian people will demand that.

          We too must demand it.