The Ukrainian Justice is investigating, together with jurists from other countries and international bodies, around 8,600 alleged war crimes committed by Russian troops since the beginning of the invasion of the country, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova reported Thursday.
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Cases under investigation range from assassinations and executions of citizens to attacks on civilian targets and infrastructure, torture, sexual crimes and rape, Venediktova assured in statements to German international public television Deutsche Welle (DW).
Some 8,000 people are involved in these investigations, including Ukrainian police officers and secret services and experts or members of NGOs from around the world, including representatives of the US Justice, up to a total of 14 countries, including Germany, France and the Netherlands.
These cases are also being investigated by the prosecution of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, international human rights bodies and the UN.
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The investigations have concentrated on the kyiv region, especially in towns such as Buchawhere the deaths of hundreds of civilians after the withdrawal of Russian troops were revealed.
Venediktova recalled in this regard that it is not possible to investigate the situation in the areas controlled by the attacking army, such as the besieged city of Mariupol or much of the Donbas area, in the east of the country.
However, information is collected in this regard through the refugees from these areas, whether among the nearly five million people who have left Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion, on February 24, or the millions of internally displaced .
Proceedings open against Russian soldiers
Within the framework of these investigations, The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office also announced Thursday that it has opened a trial against ten Russian soldiers accused of alleged crimes committed in Bucha.
“Ten soldiers of the Russian 64th Motorized Rifle Brigade are under investigation in connection with cruel treatment of civilians and other violations of the law and customs of war,” the prosecution said in a statement.
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According to the prosecution, the Russian military “took hostage civilians who were not taking part in hostilities and were not armed” during their occupation of Bucha in March. “The occupants did not give them food or drink,” details the same source.
“The suspects made them kneel, blindfolded them with cloth and self-adhesive paper, tied their hands with plastic tape, and threatened to kill them by deliberately shooting in their direction,” it continues.
The prosecution added that the authorities are looking for the ten men, with the aim of arresting them and bringing them to justice.
On April 2 in Bucha, AFP journalists found a street full of corpses. The UN documented the “killing, including some by summary execution,” of 50 civilians during a mission to the city. The Ukrainians accused the Russians of war crimes, but Moscow denied all responsibility and spoke of a “staging” by kyiv.
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50 air strikes, missiles, artillery and everything else a barbarian can use against humanity
Meanwhile, Ukraine denounced that the Russian Army launched more than 50 air strikes on the besieged city of Mariupol, in southern Ukraine, on Wednesday night, and among the explosives there were “a large number of phosphorous bombs,” denounced the Azov regiment, integrated into the Ukrainian army and resisting in the city.
The Deputy Commander of the Regiment, Captain Sviatoslav Palamar, called on his Telegram account for the authorities to take decisive action to lift the blockade of the city or evacuate residents and defenders.
“Last night there was an enormous number of phosphorus bombs: 50 air strikes, missiles, artillery and everything that a barbarian can use against humanity,” the military man said in statements reproduced by the local daily Pravda.
INTERNATIONAL WRITING*
*With information from EFE and AFP
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