INTERNATIONAL LAW AND ITS CHALLENGES IN THE RUSSIA- UKRAINE WAR

Abstract

The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine is challenging internationalrelations, with the unmitigated destruction of lives and billions of dollars in national assertson both sides. What is more worrisome in the crisis, is that scholars in the field are bereft ofany logical explanation to the stand of international law as an instrument of taming unilateralactions of states and the rascality. This study raises pertinent research questions: Doesinternational law live up to its biddings? Does it still regulate the conduct of state andnonstate actors in the international system? Why has Russia damned and taken the law forworthless documentation, as it continues to obdurate its atrocious invasion of Ukraine? Is theinternational system helpless, or how does it extricate itself from this rumble? The work useda secondary qualitative method for data collection, and to interrogate the stand of Russia andthe position of international law in the war, the work utilised a compound analysis of realismstate-centred theory, offensive realism and protracted social conflict (PSC) theory. Findingsshow that Russia‘s claim of self-defence and humanitarian interventions are mere pretentiousdeceit without moral or legal logic. The scenario seems to show that international law a meredocument of moral jurisdiction impinging on the UN an irredeemable limitation. This studyconcludes that international law is weak, as the umbrella body of interstate relations- the UNhas an inherent weakness as it lacks sufficient legal mandate for enforce sanctions onsovereign states actions that violates its laws. The paper suggests that the way to curb furtherfree-for-all violations of international law and the kind of carnage going on in the warbetween Russia and Ukraine is, to give the UN stronger legal mandate to enforce its laws ondeviant states.