Reznikov calls on Ukraine Defense Contact Group members to help punish Russian war criminals

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov has said he initiates an appeal through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the participating countries of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (the Ramstein format) with the request to send experts in military justice and specialists in countering war crimes to Ukraine.

The minister said this in a Facebook post.

Reznikov recalled that the defense forces of Ukraine issued a joint statement on August 12 to draw the attention of the world to the situation with Ukrainian POWs, first and foremost, the defenders of Mariupol, as the Russian authorities are committing their massacre in violation of all laws and customs of war.

“The brutal mass killing of Ukrainian POWs by Russian invaders in Olenivka once again demonstrated the criminal and inhuman nature of everything that the Kremlin is trying to bring upon our land. The nature from which we are protecting not only Ukraine, but the entire free world,” he wrote.

“I have no doubt that after Ukraine’s victory in this war, we will, one way or another, catch all those involved in these barbaric killings and tortures. Representatives of the Ukrainian defense forces have repeatedly and very clearly expressed their position on this matter. Sooner or later, it will happen,” he said.

At the same time, Reznikov said, the response should be not only fundamental but also systematic. A demonstration that punishment will be inevitable and without any statute of limitations must become an important component of combating war crimes.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine, more than 360 children have died. Over 1,000 children got injured by Russian attacks. More than 10,000 civilians suffered during the war in Ukraine. Over 5100 citizens died.

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