Vladimir Putin's regime has already committed war crimes in Ukraine, Boris Johnson told MPs this afternoon.
The Prime Minister slammed the Putin regime's use of munitions which they've been "dropping on innocent civilians".
Earlier this week, the prosecutor of the international criminal court (ICC) in The Hague has said he will launch an investigation into possible war crimes or crimes against humanity in Ukraine.
Mr Johnson today said all parties will support the ICC's investigation into war crimes within the state.
"I can tell him that what we have seen already from Vladimir Putin ’s regime in the use of munitions that they have already been dropping on innocent civilians, in my view, already qualifies as a war crime and I know the ICC prosecutor is already investigating and I’m sure the whole house will support that", he told MPs in the House during PMQs."
The PM was responding to Ian Blackford's question, asking if Mr Johnson would commit to amending the UK's war crimes act so "Putin will face justice in The Hague".
Mr Blackford said: "With every passing hour the world is witnessing the horrors of Putin’s war in Ukraine.
"A mother, her parents, and her six year old daughter were murdered in cold blood by Russian troops. A 12 year old boy washed mum die as he tried to save her from the rubble of their own home.
"These are war crimes happening in Europe right now.
"Vladimir Putin is a war criminal. And one day soon, Putin must face justice in The Hague.
"To prosecute Putin and his regime, the full range of war crime charges must be used including the crime of aggression by a state. "Will the Prime Minister meet with me to discuss this and will he amend the UK War Crimes Act and will he support the ICC prosecution for Putin for his crimes of aggression against the people of Ukraine?”
Downing Street said possible war crimes were occurring "almost hourly" in Ukraine.
Asked whether Boris Johnson regarded the Russian attack on the Kyiv holocaust memorial at Babi Yar or the targeting of apartment blocks as war crimes, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "I think all of those you've listed could fall in that category.
"Obviously, formally it will be for a criminal court to make that ruling but I think no one can be in any doubt that what we're seeing daily, almost hourly now, are horrific acts that would certainly appear to be war crimes."
The spokesman confirmed it was the first time No 10 had explicitly stated that view.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky classed Russia's blitz of air strikes on Kharkiv's square a war crime.
At least 10 people were killed and 35 were left injured on Tuesday when government offices, an opera house and a concert hall were struck by Russian missiles.
Mr Zelensky described the attack as “frank, undisguised terror".
"Nobody will forgive. Nobody will forget. This attack on Kharkiv is a war crime," he added.
It was the first time the Russian military had hit the centre of the city of about 1.5 million people whose residential neighbourhoods have been under fire for days.
The UK has since warned Russia will continue carpet-bombing Ukraine’s cities to “break” them in a slow siege of brutality.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said built-up areas will be targeted “indiscriminately” and “tragically” in the escalating war.
He said Vladimir Putin "seems to know no limit to how much violence they will use", adding: “They will slowly but surely try to surround the cities and then either bypass them or bombard them.
“And that is the brutality that I’m afraid we are witnessing, and it’s going to get worse.”
Of the Russian troops, Mr Wallace told Sky News: “What they are therefore doing is trying to switch tactics.
“What you’re seeing now is those heavy bombardments at night. They won’t come into the cities as much - they will, I’m afraid, as we’ve seen tragically by the looks of things, carpet-bomb cities - indiscriminately in some cases.
“They will fly their air at night rather than daytime because what we’ve seen is they get shot down in the daytime.”
In a powerful show of solidarity, MPs, officials and journalists stood up to applaud the Ukrainian ambassador to the UK at the start of PMQs.
In a rare standing ovation, groups stood up to applaud for nearly a minute, opposing the face of Russian aggression.
Sir Lindsay told the top diplomat: "We generally do not allow applause in this chamber but on this occasion the House quite rightly wants to demonstrate our respect and support for your country."
Keir Starmer today asked "why on earth" Roman Abramovich is not facing sanctions as he claimed the Chelsea FC owner had a "public association with corrupt activity and practices".
Speaking in Parliament, where he cannot be sued for libel, the Labour leader made claims about the tycoon.
He said: "We must stand up to Putin and those who prop up his regime.
"Roman Abramovich is the owner of Chelsea FC and various other high-value assets in the UK.
“He’s a person of interest to the Home Office because of his links to the Russian state and his public association with corrupt activity and practices."
Mr Johnson replied "it’s not appropriate for me to comment on individual cases at this stage," prompting groans from MPs.
