Explainer: How could Russia's Putin be prosecuted for war crimes in Ukraine?

A prosecutor could present evidence that Putin or another state leader committed a war crime by directly ordering an illegal attack or knew crimes were being committed and failed to prevent them. Picture: Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

US President Joe Biden has publicly called Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal, but legal experts said a prosecution of Putin or other Russian leaders would face high hurdles and could take years, as outlined below:

HOW IS A WAR CRIME DEFINED?