KIEV: Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova claimed that more than 21,000 war crimes and crimes of aggression allegedly committed by Russia since it commenced its invasion of Kiev on February 24 are being investigated.
Addressing the BBC on Wednesday, Venediktova said that she was receiving reports of between 200 to 300 war crimes on a daily basis. She also admitted that many trials would be conducted in absentia, but emphasied that it was "a question of justice" to continue with the prosecutions.
Russian soldiers who killed, tortured, or sexually assaulted civilians "should understand that it's only a matter of time before they all will be in court," Venediktova told the BBC. Even though her team was operating in several parts of Ukraine, she claimed that due to access issues with some people and locales, it was impossible to conduct "professional and effective" investigations into every case.
Approximately 600 people had been identified and 80 prosecutions had reportedly started as of May, according to Venediktova. Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin, the first Russian soldier tried in Ukraine, received a life sentence for the murder of a civilian.
Ukraine has been referred to as a "crime scene" by the International Criminal Court, which has sent its largest-ever team of detectives there to aid in numerous investigations. However, Russia has consistently refuted all charges of war crimes and accusations of targeting civilians.
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