News Feed

US official: 'Vast difference' between Russian and Ukrainian reactions to war crime accusations.

0 min read

At a briefing on Nov. 21, United States Ambassador for Global Criminal Justice Beth Van Schaak said while Russia "inevitably responds (to accusations of war crimes) with propaganda, denial, mis- and disinformation, the Ukrainian authorities have generally acknowledged abuses and have denounced them and have pledged to investigate them."

Van Schaak also said that "when we’re looking at the sheer scale of criminality exhibited by Russian forces, it’s enormous compared to the allegations that we have seen against Ukrainian forces."

The ambassador was answering a question regarding a recent video that surfaced online of Russian troops surrendering to Ukrainian forces. Ukraine claims Russian forces opened fire while pretending to surrender, while Russia has accused Ukraine of shooting prisoners of war.

Avatar
The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.

Read more
News Feed
Video

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, war has become a daily reality for thousands of Ukrainian children. Some Ukrainian military units, such as the Azov Brigade, offer boot camps for teenagers to teach them the basics of self-defense, first aid, dry firing, and other survival skills — helping them prepare for both the realities of today and the uncertainties of the future.

Show More