UN ready to name nearly 6,000 victims of war crimes in Ukraine
Several countries and international organizations, including the UN, have pledged to do everything possible to bring to justice all those responsible for war crimes during Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, said that the victims and their relatives must be compensated for the harm and tragedy they have suffered.
She said the UN has so far recorded and confirmed by name 5,939 civilian casualties, including 2,787 dead and 3,152 wounded.
“The real numbers are much higher and my office is working to establish them,” Bachelet stressed, adding that most of these people were victims of the use of weapons of mass destruction in densely populated areas, be they artillery shelling, missiles or bombs.
Photo by EPA Cemetery in Bucha, 7 April 2022
Ukrainian Prosecutor-General Iryna Venedyktova said via video link that she had opened more than 8,000 cases of violations of the rules of warfare.
And International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan said that 43 countries – a record number – had filed allegations of violations of the laws of war in Ukraine.
“The law is the same for all parties to the conflict, be it Ukraine or Russia, and those acting on behalf of a state or independently have clearly defined responsibilities,” he stressed, promising an independent investigation into each case.
Meanwhile, Russia continues to accuse Ukraine of committing crimes and calls the ICC a biased and politicised organisation.
Canadian parliament recognises Russia’s actions in Ukraine as genocide
Canada’s parliament has condemned Russia for its actions in Ukraine, which have been described as genocide.
Photo by Reuters Mariupol, until recently a thriving southern city, lies in ruins
The lawmakers concluded that there was clear and compelling evidence of systematic and large-scale war crimes against humanity committed by Russian troops.
On 21 April, Russia’s war in Ukraine was recognised as genocide by the parliaments of Estonia and Latvia.
The presidents of Poland and the US have also condemned the killing of civilians by the Russian army, calling it genocide, but several other world leaders, including the French president, have refrained from such a definition.
Under international law, genocide is defined as the deliberate intent to partially or totally destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group of people.
US: Russian military killed Ukrainians who tried to surrender
The United States has credible information that the Russian military shot and killed Ukrainians attempting to surrender near Donetsk, the US special envoy for international justice, Beth van Schaak, told the UN.
Photo by, Reuters
“If these facts are confirmed, it would be a fundamental violation of the principles of warfare,” van Schaak stressed.
She also noted that the US has credible reports of people shot with their hands tied, bodies showing signs of torture and the horrific sexual abuse of women and girls.
“All these pictures and reports show that these atrocities were not the result of the actions of individuals or units,” van Schaak argued. Rather, she said, the systematic crimes of the Russian military can be seen behind it.
Those who allow and encourage such crimes will have to answer for them under the law, the US representative warned.
“I want to convey one simple message to the Russian military and political leadership – the whole world is watching you and we will hold you accountable,” she concluded.
Source: bbc.com
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