The French Anti-terrorist prosecutor's office launched four investigations on the facts of the war crimes against French citizens in Ukraine.
"Four investigations were launched by the National anti-terrorist prosecutor's office and the Office for combating crimes against humanity. We've already gathered the information necessary to move forward in those cases," – the general said on the BFM TV channel.
He reported that technical experts that are now at the disposal of the Ukrainian authorities were working on the site to carry out forensic research within the French investigations at this stage. They participate in the identification and establishing the death cause of the bodies found in Bucha and around the city to document the victims' death causes and circumstances for the Ukrainian judiciary.
The French experts brought a DNA analyses lab with them to, in particular, facilitate the bodies' identification. They also will perform an autopsy [pathoanatomical or forensic procedure, post-mortem dissection or examination of the body, including its organs and tissues] together with medics and ballistic experts to determine the cause of death.
French law enforcers work in mixed teams with Ukrainians and the local officials.
"The goal is to ensure progress in the investigations that the Ukrainian authorities carry out, first of all to document the facts at the site of the war crimes. We're talking about documenting the proofs for court investigations launched in Ukraine that can facilitate the investigations of the International Criminal Court," – the French general explained.
Jean-Philippe Reiland mentioned that the first case concerning the russian-Ukrainian conflict was opened on 14 March. It's about investigating the death of a French-Irish journalist.
A technical group of the French Ministry of the interior arrived to Ukraine on 11 April to help Ukrainian experts. The group includes two forensic experts and around 15 gendarmes.
See LB's interview with leading international law experts to find out more on what can be classified as a war crime, whether it's possible to hold rf's leadership accountable for them, which bodies can investigate and hear this case, for how long the process may go on and what it will give Ukraine.