More than 21,000 war crimes are under investigation in Ukraine today

Ukraine is investigating more than 21,000 war crimes and crimes of aggression allegedly committed by Russia since the start of its full-scale invasion.

This was stated by the Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova, BBC reports.

According to Venediktova, she is receiving reports of between 200 to 300 war crimes a day. She admitted that many trials would be held in absentia, but stressed that it was “a question of justice” to continue with the prosecutions.

The Prosecutor General warned that Russian soldiers, who killed, tortured or raped civilians, “should understand that it's only a question of time when they all will be in court”.

She said that although her team was working in regions across Ukraine, it was unable to investigate all cases “properly and effectively” because of a lack of access to some people and areas. This was an apparent reference to Ukraine's territories occupied by Russian troops.

In May, it was reported that about 600 suspects had already been identified and 80 prosecutions had begun.

The first Russian soldier to be put on trial in Ukraine, Vadim Shishimarin, was sentenced to life in prison for killing a civilian in May.

According to Ukrainian officials, multiple mass graves in Bucha, Borodyanka and other towns near Kyiv that were seized by Russian troops in March have been uncovered. As reported earlier, bodies of more than 1,300 Ukrainians tortured by Russians were found in the Kyiv region. In June, over 3,000 crimes committed by Russians were documented for Kyiv region alone.

Some foreign organizations, such as the Federal Criminal Authority of Germany (BKA), are already involved in the investigation of war crimes in Ukraine. Previously, it was also announced that US will form a group to investigate war crimes in Ukraine. 

According to BBC, the International Criminal Court has described Ukraine as a “crime scene”, dispatching its largest team of detectives ever to the country to assist in multiple investigations.

As you know, Moscow has repeatedly denied targeting civilians.

Author - Anastasiya Glotova, 07/07/2022