The Office of the Prosecutor General has 27 criminal proceedings on the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war. We are talking about the murder of 54 defenders. This was stated on Suspilne by Yuriy Belousov, Head of the Department for Combating Crimes Committed in the Context of Armed Conflict.
Commenting on the video posted on social media on 7 April, the head of the Department noted that it had been preliminarily confirmed that the crime took place near Krynky in the Kherson Region, but the details are still being checked. Yuriy Belousov urged to remember the loved ones and not to voice the names of the deceased prematurely.
"In this case and the previous ones, we are also working on the command responsible for such actions. We are talking not only about unit commanders, but also about the highest military and political leadership. Because this is not an isolated case, but evidence of the policy of the Russian Federation," Belousov said.
He noted that cases of executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war have been recorded since March 2022. The court has already sentenced the first Russian soldier for the execution of a defender in Chernihiv Region. The investigation is complicated by the fact that prosecutors and investigators usually do not have access to the crime scene or the opportunity to examine the body.
"But this work is underway. Ukraine has a unique experience in documenting crimes, even without access to the territory... We work with the International Criminal Court, the UN Monitoring Mission, intelligence agencies and NGOs that also collect information. Our task now is to document, record, and tell the world the truth. It is only a matter of time before the criminals are brought to justice," Belousov said.