Russian forces must face justice for a series of war crimes committed in the region northwest of Kyiv, Amnesty International said Friday in a new briefing following an extensive on-the-ground investigation.
Amnesty looked at evidence from eight cities near the Ukrainian capital, including Bucha, where bodies were found dead and handcuffed in the street after Russian soldiers withdrew.
The human rights group said it had found evidence of arbitrary executions, bombardments of civilian residences and torture.
“The pattern of crimes committed by Russian forces that we have documented includes both unlawful attacks and willful killings of civilians,” Amnesty’s Secretary-General Agnes Callamard said in a statement. “It is vital that all those responsible, including up the chain of command, are brought to justice.”
“We have met families whose loved ones were killed in horrific attacks, and whose lives have changed forever because of the Russian invasion. We support their demands for justice, and call on the Ukrainian authorities, the International Criminal Court and others to ensure evidence is preserved that could support future war crime prosecutions.
“It is vital that all those responsible, including up the chain of command, are brought to justice.”
In Borodyanka, Amnesty International found that at least 40 civilians were killed in disproportionate and indiscriminate attacks, which devastated an entire neighbourhood and left thousands of people homeless.
In Bucha and several other towns and villages located northwest of Kyiv, Amnesty International documented 22 cases of unlawful killings by Russian forces, most of which were apparent extrajudicial executions.
During 12 days of investigations, Amnesty International researchers interviewed residents of Bucha, Borodyanka, Novyi Korohod, Andriivka, Zdvyzhivka, Vorzel, Makariv and Dmytrivka, and visited sites of numerous killings.
In total, they interviewed 45 people who witnessed or had first-hand knowledge of unlawful killings of their relatives and neighbours by Russian soldiers, and 39 others who witnessed or had first-hand knowledge of the air strikes that targeted eight residential buildings, according to the Amnesty.
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