Germany collects evidence of war crimes in Ukraine 'in three-digit range'

Germany has collected evidence of war crimes in Ukraine, and stated that there is a need for a judicial process at international level. 

Source: Reuters citing Peter Frank, German Prosecutor General; European Pravda

"Currently, for example, we are focusing on the mass killings in Bucha or attacks against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure," Peter Frank said. 

So far, prosecutors have pieces of evidence in the "three-digit range", he added, without elaborating.

Germany began collecting evidence in March 2022 to prosecute possible war crimes, including by interviewing Ukrainian refugees and evaluating publicly available information, Frank said, adding that German prosecutors were not yet investigating specific individuals.

"We are preparing ourselves for a possible later court case – be it with us in Germany, be it with our foreign partners, [or] be it before an international court," he added.

Asked who should be tried, Frank replied that Russian state leaders and those implementing decisions at the highest military level should be held accountable.

Ukraine is pushing for the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Russian military and political leaders it holds responsible for starting the war.

The International Criminal Court has launched its own investigation into alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes days after Moscow's  invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, but it does not have the jurisdiction to prosecute aggression in Ukraine.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who is visiting Kyiv, said on Thursday that an international centre for the prosecution of the crime of aggression in Ukraine would be set up in The Hague.

The European Union has reportedly reached a consensus on the need to create a mechanism for punishing the Russian leadership for the crime of aggression, but so far, it has not given its consent for the creation of a separate special tribunal in The Hague.

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