Germany, we have evidence of war crimes in the Ukraine

Germany has collected evidence of

, Attorney General Peter Frank told Welt am Sonntag newspaper, adding he sees the need for an international trial.

"Currently, we are focusing on the mass killings in

or attacks against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure," Frank said, adding that so far prosecutors have "three-digit" evidence.

When asked who should stand trial, Frank replied: Russia's leaders and those who implement decisions at the highest military level should be held to account. 

"We are preparing for a possible subsequent judicial process, both we in Germany and with our foreign partners, as well as before an international court," said the German attorney general.

Germany began collecting evidence in March 2022 to prosecute possible war crimes, including by interviewing Ukrainian refugees and evaluating publicly available information, he said, adding that German prosecutors were not yet investigating specific individuals.

Ukraine and its Western allies have accused Russian forces of committing atrocities in Bucha, a satellite city of Kiev, in the immediate aftermath of the invasion last February.

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Russia has also targeted key infrastructure in Ukraine but denies deliberately targeting civilians.

Kiev is pushing for the creation of a special court to prosecute Russian military and political leaders it holds responsible for starting the war.

The

launched its own investigation into alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes just days after the February 24 invasion of Moscow, but it lacks the jurisdiction to prosecute the aggression in Ukraine.

European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen, on a visit to Kiev, said on Thursday that an international center for prosecuting the crime of aggression in Ukraine should be set up in The Hague.