A teacher puts a Ukrainian flag at the entrance of his school destroyed as a result of a shelling in Bakhmut, Donetsk region on July 24, 2022
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)Russia was condemned on Monday after it charged 92 members of the Ukrainian armed forces with crimes against humanity.
The head of the country’s investigative committee Alexander Bastrykin told Russian government news site Rossiiskaya Gazeta commanders and their subordinates had been charged, and 96 people, including 51 armed forces commanders, declared wanted by Moscow.
The Ukrainians were involved in “crimes against the peace and security of humanity, which have no statute of limitations,” he said.
Mr Bastrykin, whose committee probes major crimes, said over 1,300 criminal investigations had been launched linked to its invasion of Ukraine.
He also proposed an international tribunal backed by countries including Iran, Syria and Bolivia - traditional allies of Russia.
Russia was criticised for the move which comes amid widespread condemnation of Russia’s invasion and accusation of war crimes by Vladimir Putin’s forces.
The United States and more than 40 other countries agreed earlier this month to coordinate investigations into suspected crimes.
Ukraine said earlier this month it was examining more than 21,000 war crimes and crimes of aggression allegedly committed by Russian forces since the start of the invasion in February.
Russian forces have been accused of many atrocities after bombing Ukrainian cities to ruins and leaving behind bodies in the streets of towns and villages they occupied.
Ukraine says tens of thousands of civilians have died. Moscow has denied deliberately targeting civilians and all war crimes.
An intelligence report, released by the Ministry of Defence on Monday, added there were also “well documented personnel problems” plaguing the Russian army, including low morale and conscription.
Ukraine says it continues to fight back following territorial gains by Putin’s forces, with president Volodymyr Zelensky saying his forces are advancing “step by step” into the occupied southern region of Kherson.
