Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: State Department launches unit to document alleged war crimes

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The State Department launched a program dubbed the “Conflict Observatory” this week to document and analyze alleged war crimes by Russian forces in Ukraine.

“No country – no matter how large, how potentially powerful, what types of weapons they may have in their arsenal – can escape accountability for the types of atrocities that we have seen Russia’s forces perpetrate against the Ukrainian people,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said at a news conference on Tuesday.

At least 3,380 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since Putin launched the invasion on Feb. 24, though the United Nations warns that the actual count is likely much higher.

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About 6.2 million refugees have fled Ukraine and millions more have been displaced inside the country.

Russian forces have also been accused of using banned weapons, like vacuum bombs and cluster munitions.

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW

The new Conflict Observatory will use satellite imagery, social media, and other methods to gather evidence of alleged war crimes, which could be used in future criminal proceedings.

“The program encompasses the documentation, verification, and dissemination of open-source evidence regarding the actions of Russia’s forces during President Putin’s brutal war of choice,” the State Department said.

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An online platform will also be made publicly available in order to counter Russia’s disinformation about their military’s actions in Ukraine, according to the State Department.

The International Criminal Court sent a 42-member team to Ukraine to investigate the atrocities on Tuesday.