US State Department formally accuses Russia of war crimes in Ukraine
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken released a statement on Wednesday formally accusing Russia of committing war crimes during the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
“We’ve seen numerous credible reports of indiscriminate attacks and attacks deliberately targeting civilians, as well as other atrocities. Russia’s forces have destroyed apartment buildings, schools, hospitals, critical infrastructure, civilian vehicles, shopping centers, and ambulances, leaving thousands of innocent civilians killed or wounded,” the statement read.
He highlighted several instances in the city of Mariupol, including the strike on the maternity hospital as well as the destruction of the drama theater, which was sheltering more than 1,000 civilians, and was clearly marked with the Russian word for children in large letters.
“Last week, I echoed President Biden’s statement, based on the countless accounts and images of destruction and suffering we have all seen, that war crimes had been committed by Putin’s forces in Ukraine. I noted then that the deliberate targeting of civilians is a war crime. I emphasized that Department of State and other U.S. government experts were documenting and assessing potential war crimes in Ukraine. Today, I can announce that, based on information currently available, the U.S. government assesses that members of Russia’s forces have committed war crimes in Ukraine,” Blinken continued.
The Secretary of State reiterated that war crimes, as any alleged crime, need to be judged in the court of law.
“The U.S. government will continue to track reports of war crimes and will share information we gather with allies, partners, and international institutions and organizations, as appropriate. We are committed to pursuing accountability using every tool available, including criminal prosecutions,” the statement concluded.