Accuses Russian Troops Of Committing War Crimes In Ukraine, Blinken: US Will Chase Evidentiary And Prosecution

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (Wikimedia Commons/US Department of State)

JAKARTA - The United States views Russian troops as committing war crimes in Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday.

Secretary of State Blinken said Washington's conclusions were based on a "careful review" of available information from public and intelligence sources.

He said there were many credible reports of indiscriminate and deliberate attacks targeting civilians, as well as other atrocities by Russian forces in Ukraine, citing attacks in the besieged city of Mariupol. Russia has denied targeting civilians.

In a statement, Secretary of State Blinken said the United States would continue to track reports of war crimes, and would share the information it collects with international allies and agencies.

Courts of law will ultimately be responsible for determining the alleged crimes, Foreign Minister Blinken said.

"We are committed to pursuing accountability using every tool available, including criminal prosecution," he stressed.

Meanwhile, Beth Van Schaack, Ambassador for Global Criminal Justice at the State Department, said Washington was looking at various activities carried out by Russian troops in Ukraine.

The destruction of a theater in Mariupol last week "appears to be a direct attack on (targeted) civilians," he said.

"This is very clearly marked with the word 'children'. This is not a military goal," he told a briefing at the State Department. Russia has denied bombing the theatre.

Van Schaack said evidence, such as intelligence signals and reports from Russian insiders, could be used by courts to show civilians were deliberately targeted. The evidence was kept for that purpose, he said.

It is understood investigators from the International Criminal Court set out earlier this month to begin investigating possible war crimes in Ukraine. Washington said it welcomed the decision, although it had no co-operative duty because it was not a member of the tribunal.

Legal experts say prosecuting Putin or any other Russian leader will face high hurdles and could take years.

Last week, US President Joe Biden last week said Russian President Vladimir Putin was a "war criminal" for attacking Ukraine. The Russian Foreign Ministry called the statement inappropriate for a high-ranking statesman.

Russia's month-long invasion of Ukraine has forced more than 3.5 million people to flee, brought Russia's unprecedented economic isolation, raising fears of a wider conflict in the West unthinkable for decades.

The United Nations human rights office in Geneva said on Tuesday it had recorded 953 civilian deaths and 1,557 injuries since the invasion. The Kremlin denies targeting civilians.