A former British civil servant could become the first UK national to face a war crimes trial since Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, according to police investigations.
The disturbing footage that sparked international outrage
Graham Phillips, a 46-year-old from Nottinghamshire though originally born in Dundee, Scotland, is under investigation by the Metropolitan Police's War Crimes Team for potential breaches of the Geneva Convention. The probe centres on a video he posted online in 2022 showing pigs feeding on human remains of Ukrainian soldiers.
In the controversial footage, Phillips can be heard asking the animals 'Is Yuri tasty?' before encouraging them with the words: 'Eat, be healthy. It turns out he (the Ukrainian) was useful for someone.'
Geneva Convention violations and Phillips' defence
The video has drawn international condemnation as it appears to violate Article 34 of the Geneva Convention, which explicitly states that 'The remains of persons who have died for reasons related to occupation or in detention resulting from occupation or hostilities shall be respected.'
When confronted by The Sun about the footage, Phillips admitted filming the clip but claimed he saw no reason to intervene. 'Those Ukrainian soldiers came to Donbas to murder the civilians of Donbas, who want to be with Russia, not part of the Ukrainian Nazi regime,' he stated. 'They ended up becoming pig fodder. I could say it was pigs eating pigs, but that would be an insult to the pigs.'
Other British nationals fighting for Russia
Phillips isn't the only British citizen who has chosen to support the Russian aggressor in the conflict. Aiden Minnis from Wiltshire has been branded a traitor after burning his UK passport and receiving Russian citizenship along with a 'bravery medal' from Vladimir Putin.
The self-described 'Z Patriot' and 'sapper in the Russian army' has previously promised to put Ukrainians and English mercenaries fighting for Ukraine 'in wooden boxes'. Minnis, who has a criminal record in Britain for a violent racist attack, now describes the UK as a 'fascist state' and faces terror charges if he ever returns home.
The war in Ukraine began with Russia's illegal invasion in February 2022 and has since claimed thousands of civilian lives through Putin's military actions.
