World must unite to create tribunal for Russia’s crimes - Kostin

Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andriy Kostin stated this at the United for Justice international conference in Lviv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Today's discussion sends a clear signal that we are on the same side. It is important for us to be even more precise in our communications in order to convince the whole world, which already knows about the act of aggression. Convince the world to be brave and take the next step - join our tribunal to punish the aggressor. This is important not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians, not only out of respect for Ukraine’s soldiers, but also for future generations," Kostin emphasized.

He recalled that immediately after the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian citizens began to look for an appropriate name for the future tribunal against Russian criminals. The first such name was "Kharkiv Tribunal" - when the occupiers began shelling residential districts of Kharkiv city with artillery and missiles from the first days of the invasion. Then the name “Mariupol Tribunal” appeared. Subsequently, the tribunal of Bucha and other Ukrainian cities and villages liberated from the occupation, where terrible evidence of Russian atrocities against the civilian population was discovered.

"The consequences of these crimes were revealed not only after the liberation of Kyiv region. After the liberation of Kharkiv and Kherson regions, traces of the same atrocities were found. Therefore, it was a constant, purposeful behavior of the occupiers. Ukrainians need this tribunal to restore justice, which is currently violated. Moreover, this is not only a political statement. Behind it are hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who lost their loved ones and their homes. All Ukrainians suffered from this aggressive war, each of them," the Prosecutor General stated.

He noted that in every country of the world - Europe or America - people are discussing problems associated with this war. In particular, in the economic sector, these are high prices for energy, for natural gas, high inflation - all these are the consequences of Russian aggression.

"In such cases, I say - look, you also suffered from this aggression. Therefore, there must be our collective response to punish the Russian leadership. I totally agree with the creation of an effective system [of justice] for the future. Because what we are doing now is not only for us, and not only today. It is about the next generations and the future of the entire civilized world," Kostin emphasized.