An international conference was held to hold Russia accountable for the destruction and plundering of cultural heritage by Russia, which continues its military aggression, as a war crime, and Ukraine's prosecutor general stated, ``There is a huge amount of evidence,'' and called for cooperation from the international community. I did.
The international conference was held on the 29th in the capital, Kiev, and was hosted by the Ukrainian government and other parties, with participation from prosecutors from various countries, civil society groups, and international organizations such as UNESCO.
In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Shmikhali of Ukraine pointed out that more than 900 historical buildings, religious facilities, educational facilities, etc. had been damaged in the two years since the invasion. "Instead, they are robbing us of our heritage and our people's memories."
Prosecutor General Kostin also stated, ``There is enormous evidence of the destruction and plundering of Ukraine's cultural heritage,'' indicating that Russia will be held accountable.
He called on the international community to cooperate, saying, ``We must act to recover the heritage that has been illegally plundered.''
Ukrainian prosecutors say that more than 122,000 Russian war crimes, including attacks on civilians, have been investigated over the past two years, and that they will conduct a thorough investigation.
A museum built over 100 years ago was also damaged.
In an area in the center of the capital, Kiv, where national universities and theaters are located, a museum built over 100 years ago and also used as a parliament building was damaged by a Russian missile attack in October last year.
This building is known as the place where Ukraine's parliament declared independence in 1918, and is featured on Ukraine's 50 hryvnia banknote.
Its distinctive feature is its dome-shaped glass roof, but the glass was blown away by the blast from the missile attack, and workers are still continuing to repair the roof.
``First and foremost, there is anger. There were people here when the attack took place. We will restore everything,'' said Oleh Steshuk, the museum's representative.
Prosecutor General of Ukraine: ``Even history is being erased''
On the 29th, Ukraine's Prosecutor General Kostin, who is investigating Russia's war crimes, gave an exclusive interview to NHK in the capital, Kiiv, and said, ``Russia is trying to erase even our history,'' stating that Russia is trying to erase Ukraine's cultural heritage. It was strongly criticized for targeting such people.
In it, he denounced that "Russia's war crimes range from the deliberate killing of civilians to child abductions and large-scale looting."
``They are trying to erase even our history by destroying cultural properties,'' he said, emphasizing that Russia will be held responsible through a thorough investigation and compensated for the damage caused.
``If Ukraine receives enough support to win both on the battlefield and in the fight for justice, it will save lives elsewhere,'' he said, adding that laws and human rights will be protected. In order to realize a world that is protected, he appealed to the international community for support in pursuing Russia's war crimes.
Prosecutor General Kostin also revealed that the Russian military has so far confirmed 40 cases in which North Korean-made ballistic missiles have been used in attacks on Ukraine, and that he is aiming to uncover the actual situation.