Russia says 680 Ukrainian officials charged with war crimes

Russia has charged 680 Ukrainian officials, including 118 members of the army and security forces, with violating laws governing the conduct of war, including using weapons against civilians. TASS news agency today.

According to the report, which cites the head of the Russian public investigation, the Ukrainian officials accused the Ukrainian officials of “using prohibited and military means”, referring to Article 356 of the Code Russian crime. Currently, 680 people are accused. ” Alexander Bastrykin, head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, told TASS state news agency in an interview. “Among these defendants are 118 people among the leaders and commanders of the Ukrainian army and Ukrainian security forces.”

Bastrykin, who reports directly to President Vladimir Putin, said the charges included the use of weapons against civilians. He added that 138 of those people were allegedly absent. Reuters could not independently verify the committee’s statement. Ukrainian authorities were not immediately available for comment. According to the Ukrainian Prosecutor’s Office, Ukrainian authorities have documented more than 70,000 Russian war crimes since the conflict began. Ukraine has launched several criminal cases against the Russian military, including the head of the Wagner mercenary group. Both Ukraine and Russia have denied killing civilians during their neighbors’ year-long offensive in Russia that has killed thousands, displaced millions and turned cities into rubble.

Last week, US President Joe Biden’s administration said they had publicly determined that Russia had committed “crimes against humanity” in Ukraine, a charge Russia has denied.