US secretary of state Antony Blinken said on Wednesday the US has determined that Russian troops have committed war crimes in Ukraine.
"Today, I can announce that, based on information currently available, the US government assesses that members of Russia's forces have committed war crimes in Ukraine," Blinken said in a statement released as he was traveling to Brussels with President Joe Biden for an emergency summit of Nato leaders.
The assessment was based on a "careful review" of public and intelligence sources since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last month, he said.
America's top diplomat said the United States would share that information with allies, partners and international institutions tasked with investigating allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
"We've seen numerous credible reports of indiscriminate attacks and attacks deliberately targeting civilians, as well as other atrocities. Russia's forces have destroyed apartment buildings, schools, hospitals, critical infrastructure, civilian vehicles, shopping centers, and ambulances, leaving thousands of innocent civilians killed or wounded," Blinken said.
He cited attacks on the civilian population in the besieged city of Mariupol and elsewhere.
It comes a week after President Joe Biden described Putin as “a war criminal“ for attacking Ukraine.
Biden made the off-the-cuff remark in response to a reporter’s question at the White House.
He was was asked “after everything we have seen, are you ready to call Putin a war criminal?” and initially replied “no” before adding: “Oh, I think he is a war criminal.”
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki later said the president was speaking from his heart after seeing “barbaric” images of the violence in Ukraine, rather than making any official declaration.
The Russian foreign ministry said on Monday it had summoned the US ambassador, John Sullivan, for a meeting over “recent unacceptable statements” by Biden about Putin.
