Ukraine sends evidence of Russia's war crimes near Ilovaisk to ICC

"According to the conclusions of experts and a set of other evidence obtained, the military aggression of the Russian armed forces is the only factor that led to the tragic events near Ilovaisk. On the night of August 23-24, 2014, the largest direct invasion by the aggressor country's armed forces of Ukraine’s territory and their subsequent commission of war crimes took place. At that time, the combat power of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation consisted of nine battalion tactical groups: 3,500 personnel, up to 60 tanks, up to 320 armoured assault vehicles (infantry fighting vehicles), up to 60 guns, up to 45 mortars and 5 anti-tank missile systems," the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office informs.

According to the data established, the critical ratio of the military forces of Ukraine in the area of ​​ Ilovaisk town with the units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and representatives of illegal armed formations controlled by the Russian Federation was: personnel – 1 to 18; tanks – 1 to 11; armoured vehicles – 1 to 16; artillery – 1 to 15; Grad multiple rocket launcher – 1 to 24.

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the battalions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine "Dnipro-1", "Myrotvorets", "Svitiaz", "Kherson", "Ivano-Frankivsk", the National Guard battalion "Donbas" and the forces of sector "B" were encircled by the enemy already on August 24-25. On August 26-28, negotiations began between the leadership of Ukraine’s Anti-Terrorist Operation and the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces to provide guarantees for safe humanitarian corridors so that the servicepersons of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and other military formations of Ukraine could retreat from the encirclement along the agreed routes.

However, on August 29, 2014, by the direct instruction and order of the Command of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and in violation of Article 37 of the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, Russian troops used heavy weapons to shot columns of Ukrainian servicepersons and three captured Russian paratroopers at a point-blank range as they were retreating along the corridor near the localities of Starobeshevo, Chumaky, Novodvorske, Ahronomichne, Mnohopillia, Chervonosilske, Osykove, Novokaterynivka of Donetsk region.

In addition, by the direct instructions and orders of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Russian servicepersons and Russian-backed irregular illegal armed groups killed the wounded Ukrainian servicepersons who could not offer resistance.

"Thus, 366 Ukrainian soldiers were killed, 429 servicepersons were wounded, and 300 soldiers were taken captive," the Prosecutor General's Office reports.

According to the results of the investigation into the aggressive war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, a total of 110 people have been prosecuted for committing the mentioned crimes, including 68 citizens of the Russian Federation (21 high-ranking officials among them). These persons were put on a wanted list.

Forty-eight indictments against 51 people have been filed at court. Ukrainian courts have already convicted 35 people, including 13 Russian citizens (three servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces among them).

"The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has been provided with the information on the evidence of war crimes, including the treacherous murder of Ukrainian servicepersons near Ilovaisk, to make a decision on the opening of criminal proceedings," the Prosecutor General's Office informs.

It is noted that investigators of the Main Investigation Department of the Security Service of Ukraine continue to collect evidence and identify all the perpetrators.

On August 29, the Day of Remembrance of Defenders fallen in the struggle for independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine is marked to honour the greatest losses suffered by the Ukrainian army in Donbas.

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