US Attorney General Visits Ukraine: "War Crimes Will Be Punished... Nowhere to Hide"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] "'There is nowhere to hide' is a clear message being sent."

Merrick Garland, U.S. Attorney General, who made a surprise visit to Ukraine on the 21st (local time), announced that he would support Ukrainian authorities in punishing those who committed brutal war crimes.

According to Politico and others, Attorney General Garland visited Ukraine without prior notice on the day to discuss response measures related to war crimes confirmed since Russia's invasion in February. In Ukraine, thousands of atrocities suspected to be war crimes, including allegations of massacres in the Bucha region, have been reported.

Meeting with Iryna Venediktova, Prosecutor General of Ukraine, he said, "I came to show the unwavering support of the United States for the Ukrainian people resisting Russia's unjust and illegitimate invasion," adding "The United States will assist Ukraine in holding accountable those responsible for the war crimes and atrocities witnessed worldwide."

He emphasized that the U.S. is sending a clear message that "(war criminals) have nowhere to hide" and will employ all means to ensure those responsible for war crimes are held accountable.

Local media reported that this visit was unannounced and took place while Garland was en route to attend a ministerial meeting between the U.S. and Europe in Paris, France.

Along with this, Attorney General Garland also announced the launch of a "War Crimes Accountability Team" to investigate Russia's war crimes committed during the invasion of Ukraine.

According to the Department of Justice, former Director Elie Rosenbaum, who will serve as the organization's counselor, is a 36-year veteran DOJ official and a former head of the Special Investigations Unit who tracked down and deported Nazi war criminals living undercover in the U.S. In addition to former Director Rosenbaum, prosecutors from the DOJ's Human Rights Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) will be assigned.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.