In an interview published Saturday, Carla Del Ponte stated that Putin is a war criminal.
Interviews were given to Swiss media by the Swiss lawyer who led U.N investigations in Rwanda and former Yugoslavia. She stated that there were clearly war crimes committed in Ukraine.
She stated that she was shocked at the use of mass graves by Russia in its war on Ukraine. This recalls the worst wars in the ex-Yugoslavia.
She told Blick that she hoped to never see mass graves ever again. “These people who are dead have loved ones that don’t know what will happen to them.” This is unacceptable.
She also identified other war crimes in Ukraine, including attacks on civilians and destruction of civilian buildings.
Because Ukraine had requested an international investigation, she said that the investigation in Ukraine would be much easier than in Yugoslavia. Karim Khan, the current chief prosecutor of the ICC, visited Ukraine last month.
She said that if the ICC finds evidence of war crimes, it would be necessary to move up the chain of command, until you reach the decision-makers.
She stated that it was possible to hold Putin accountable.
“You can’t let go. Continue to investigate. He was still the Serbian president when the investigation into Slobodan Milovic began. Who would have known that he would be held accountable? She told Blick, “Nobody.”
Del Ponte stated that both sides should investigate possible war crimes, and pointed out reports regarding the torture of Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine.
