US is seeking war crimes trials against Russia

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Ukrainian soldier in Bucha (on April 2)

Photo: Mykhaylo Palinchak / dpa

The US is gathering evidence to bring Russia and President Vladimir Putin before the International Criminal Court or some other court for war crimes.

Since Russia is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, any process to hold Russia accountable there could be blocked by the government in Moscow, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.

There is still no evidence that the atrocities in the Ukrainian city of Bucha can be classified as genocide.

However, the USA had turned to four places to get the evidence for a procedure.

This included the information that the United States and friendly countries had, among other things, from secret services, observations of Ukrainians in the country itself,

US President Joe Biden had previously called for a war crimes tribunal and called Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal.

"You saw what happened in Bucha," Biden told reporters at the White House in Washington.

"That justifies it - he's a war criminal." According to Ukrainian authorities, hundreds of civilians were killed during the month-long Russian occupation in Bucha near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

Over the weekend, videos emerged from the city showing countless dead people lying on the streets.

In addition, the US government wants to announce new sanctions against Russia this week.

Coordination with allies and partner countries is currently under way, said national security adviser Sullivan in the White House on Monday.

He declined to give details of the new sanctions planned or under consideration.

Russia denies attacking civilians as part of its "special military operation" in Ukraine.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the West should first examine its own conscience before labeling Putin a war criminal.

mwo/Reuters/dpa