UN: Too early to draw conclusions on war crimes in Ukraine

The UN commission on Ukraine has gathered many accusations of possible war crimes committed by Russian forces in that country, but it is still too early to draw conclusions, its chairman announced today.

“In Bhutan and Irpin, the commission received information about the arbitrary killing of civilians, the destruction and looting of goods, as well as attacks on political infrastructure, especially schools,” commissioner Eric Mosek told a news conference in Kyiv.

In the Kharkiv and Sumi (northeastern Ukraine) regions, which were pounded by the Russian army, the commission noted “the destruction of large urban areas as a result of airstrikes, artillery shelling or artillery shelling.”

However, “at this stage, we are not in a position to make fact-based findings or decide on issues related to the legal characterization of the facts,” he said.

“However, subject to future confirmation, the information we have received and the sites of destruction we have visited may substantiate allegations that serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law have been committed in these regions. “They are even tantamount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

Eric Mosek made the remarks at the end of the work, which began on June 7, as part of the first mission decided by the International Commission of Inquiry set up in May by the UN Human Rights Council.

During visits to Bhutan, Irpin, Kharkiv and Sumy, the committee met with local authorities and civil society organizations and also gathered testimonies from civilians.

“It is one thing to witness, for example, mass disasters, to confess to deliberate killings, and it is another to come to a decision on responsibility along with the legal characterization of these events,” said one commission member. Pablo de Greif.

The committee will continue its work next month.

Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ