Prosecutor General: We ask Ukrainian refugees to join fight for justice, provide evidence of Russia’s war crimes

KYIV. Oct 31 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Interrogations and interviews of Ukrainians who have gone abroad because of the military aggression of the Russian Federation are being conducted in at least 22 countries of the world, but many Ukrainian refugees do not want to share information for various reasons, Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin has said.

In an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine, Kostin said that all countries where Ukrainians are located are very responsible for collecting evidence of war crimes. "The interrogations of persons are preceded by painstaking work on the formation of lists of potential witnesses and victims, clarifying their contacts, preliminary interviews," he said.

Thus, according to the Prosecutor General, Estonian law enforcement agencies interrogated seven citizens of Ukraine, some of whom witnessed airstrikes on civilian buildings in Mariupol, attacks on Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

"In addition, almost all of them witnessed illegal deprivation of liberty both on the territory of Olenivka village, Volnovakha district, Donetsk region, and on the territories of Kherson and Chernihiv regions," Kostin said.

Also, according to the Prosecutor General, Latvian law enforcement officers interrogated 30 people from Ukraine and conducted a survey with another 62. According to Kostin, among those interviewed by Latvian law enforcement officers is a military chaplain who, as part of a rescue mission, went to the Zmiyiny Island on February 25 and spent 43 days in captivity.

Polish law enforcement officers, as the Prosecutor General clarified, interrogated more than 1,200 witnesses and victims who testified about at least 17 events of war crimes, German law enforcement officers conducted 25 interrogations, and the National Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office of the Italian Republic interrogated more than 50 people who witnessed war crimes in Ukraine.

Also, as the Prosecutor General informed, Romanian law enforcement officers have already identified more than 106 witnesses and victims of war crimes in Ukraine, Swedish law enforcement officers have interrogated 15 witnesses of war crimes, while Norwegian officers interrogated seven people.

"Currently, we are aware of the conduct of interrogations and interviews by at least 22 countries of the world," the Prosecutor General summed up.

Answering the question whether these testimonies are enough to conduct a full-fledged investigation, Kostin said: "Many Ukrainian refugees do not want to share information for various reasons – some are afraid, some do not have time, some want to forget about everything. Therefore, we are approaching our fellow citizens who have gone abroad with a cascade information company – we would like to encourage them to join the fight for justice, that is, to share the information they have either as victims or as witnesses. Provide everything you have: any photos, videos – and it will be your personal contribution to our common victory."

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