Ukraine reports thousands of war crimes in Donbass as Russia positions its 'maximum power'

As the Russian military offensive against Ukraine transcends three months, Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Iryna Venediktova, on Tuesday, alleged that the country has identified several thousand suspected war crimes in the eastern Donbass region. While addressing a press conference in The Hague, Venediktova said, "We started a few thousand cases about what we see in Donbass. If we speak about war crimes, it's about the possible transfer of people. We started several cases about the possible transfer of children, and adult people to different parts of the Russian Federation. Then, of course, we can speak about torturing people, killing civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure."

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address on Tuesday stated the situation in the Donbass remains “extremely difficult”. According to Zelenskyy, Russia has positioned its army’s “maximum combat power” there. The statement was seconded by Sievierodonetsk mayor, Oleksandr Struik. He said that Putin's forces have seized half of the Sievierodonetsk region. Notably, the eastern Ukrainian city is key for Russian forces to announce a complete capture of the industrial Donbass region.

Oleksandr Struik said, "The city is essentially being destroyed ruthlessly block by block." According to Struik, heavy street fighting has been continuing since the onset of the brutal war and added artillery barrages threatened the lives of the estimated 13,000 civilians still sheltering in the ruined city.

Russia ready to negotiate, says Upper House Speaker

Earlier on Tuesday, Moscow's upper parliament house speaker said Russia is ready to hold negotiations with Kyiv to restore peace in the region. The major development came as Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, who was on an official visit to Mozambique, met Maputo's President Filipe Nyusi on Tuesday. While speaking at the meeting, Russian News Agency- TASS, reported that the speaker said the Putin administration is open to talks with Ukraine and signing agreements that would lead to peace.

She said that the Russian government is ready to solve the issue diplomatically and added a will for this is needed on both sides. However, she claimed that the Zelenskyy administration has shown no interest in resolving the issue. "We are open for talks. I totally share your position that diplomatic, peaceful solutions are needed. But will for that is needed on both sides. We reiterate that we are ready for talks, for signing agreements that would stop the civil war in Ukraine and lead to peace, but we see no reaction from Kyiv," TASS quoted the upper house speaker as saying. 

Image: AP