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Federal Criminal Police Office in Wiesbaden (archive)
Photo: Fredrik von Erichsen/ DPA
Germany wants to help Ukraine investigate alleged Russian war crimes.
According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) is preparing “extensive material support for Ukraine with forensic equipment”, and the first materials and devices are already on their way.
The Ukrainian Ministry of the Interior had asked Germany for help.
But unlike France, which sent forensic experts to investigate the atrocities in Bucha in April, no BKA specialists are to be sent to the war zone.
As can be seen from internal documents, Berlin considers the security risk to be too great.
Instead, the BKA could help Ukraine, for example, with training courses on how to identify victims in Germany or in a country neighboring Ukraine.
Examinations of corpses or evidence could also take place there.
Thorsten Frei, first parliamentary director of the Union faction, is not enough.
"We shouldn't lag behind France and also send appropriate specialists," he said - if the Ukraine so wishes and the operation is justifiable.
Vice President of the Greens, Konstantin von Notz, sees it similarly: "We should also provide Ukraine with more support in investigating possible war crimes." Local help should also be examined.
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