Russia-Ukraine war: Pentagon helping collect evidence showing Russia committed war crimes

The US claimed that it has 'clear evidence' of Russia committing war crimes in Ukraine as its military aggression against its East European neighbour continues for the 27th day. At a press conference on Monday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said there is an investigative process and the US will contribute to it to document the war crimes by helping gather evidence of them, Anadolu Agency reported. 

Russia began its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on February 24 and has hit military and civilian areas in many major cities, including Kyiv, the capital, and Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, leading to widespread condemnation from world leaders and citizens alike. Russian forces continued their invasion by bombing and shelling the strategically located port city of Mariupol, which has a large number of civilians casualties. 

Evidence of Crime

"We certainly see clear evidence that Russian forces are committing more crimes, and we are helping with the collecting of evidence of that," Kirby told a press briefing. "As for what would come out of that, that's not a decision that the Pentagon leadership would make," he added.

Earlier the White House spokesperson Jen Psaki had said that Russia is carrying out an "unprovoked and unjustified" war on Ukraine. The Pentagon accused the Kremlin of carrying out indiscriminate attacks as part of an intentional strategy in the conflict. "Ukrainians are fighting, as you all have seen very, very easily for yourself, how bravely they're fighting to defend their city", Kirby added while briefing the press.

The Pentagon's statement comes days after US President Joe Biden, on being asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin is a war criminal,, had replied with an affirmative 'yes'.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, also said that what Russian forces were doing in their assault on the Ukrainian city of Mariupol “is a massive war crime.”  

(Image: AP)