German authorities amass 500 testimonies to Russian war crimes in Ukraine

DW reported the information.

"We encourage victims and witnesses of traumatic events to share their experiences with the police," said German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann in an interview with Bild am Sonntag.

Buschmann emphasized that the issuance of an arrest warrant for Russian leader Vladimir Putin by the International Criminal Court (ICC) underscores the need for Germany to continue collecting evidence.

According to Buschmann, any photo or video evidence, such as those on smartphones, can significantly aid ongoing investigations.

"Deleting such materials only aids Russian war criminals," added the German official.

A conference on international law is slated for the next week at the German Ministry of Justice, where discussions will include the surge in drone strikes by Russia on civilian targets in Ukraine.

"If a Russian drone intentionally targets a residential building with civilians, it constitutes a war crime," stressed Buschmann.

He also outlined plans to enhance collaboration with Ukraine, Poland, and the United States, highlighting Poland's crucial role in the investigation due to its proximity to Ukraine and the large number of Ukrainian refugees it has taken in.

Expressing hope for a trial against Putin, Buschmann stated, "Anyone issuing orders to deliberately violate international law is potentially a war criminal."

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the Munich Conference on February 17, asserting that treating Russian leader Vladimir Putin as an equal in the international community would be a disregard for the essence of political power.