Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky alleged on Monday that Russia had carried out more than 183,000 war crimes since their invasion of the country, and called for help from European allies in ending this injustice, reported Reuters.
On the third anniversary of Russian troops being forced out of Bucha, Zelensky addressed European officials and said, “More than 183,000 crimes related to Russia's aggression against Ukraine have been officially documented.”
Zelensky added that the war crimes had been documented since February 2022, and yet did not include all the territories in his country that Russia had occupied since their invasion began.
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"We need effective international law to guarantee the protection of our people and all European society from such threats. Justice must be served to prevent evil from proliferating. Pressure on Russia and sanctions against it are necessary to ensure that the war and abuse do not expand further," he said, as quoted by Reuters.
Russia's crimes in Bucha
{{/usCountry}}"We need effective international law to guarantee the protection of our people and all European society from such threats. Justice must be served to prevent evil from proliferating. Pressure on Russia and sanctions against it are necessary to ensure that the war and abuse do not expand further," he said, as quoted by Reuters.
Russia's crimes in Bucha
{{/usCountry}}In Bucha, Russian troops have been accused of carrying out rapes, extrajudicial killings and torture, which are being prosecuted locally, although Russia does not accept Ukraine's jurisdiction over the region.
Oleksiy Khomenko, Ukraine's acting prosecutor general, has claimed, as per Reuters, that Russian forces have committed more than 9,000 crimes in the area around Bucha, including 1,800 killings.
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Khomenko said on Monday that Ukrainian authorities had charged 178 individuals and convicted 21 till date. He said Kyiv would continue to work with the ICC and 25 other countries that were carrying out their own investigations into Russia's alleed atrocities against Ukrainian civilians in occupied areas.
"Ukraine will not stop on the path of bringing those responsible to justice," Khomenko said.
Russian authorities did not comment on the latest accusations, however, they have previously denied committing any war crimes.