US says it has 'clear evidence' Russia committing war crimes in Ukraine

WASHINGTON

The US said Monday it has "clear evidence" that Russia is committing war crimes in Ukraine as its military aggression against the East European nation nears one month.

At a press conference, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said there is an investigative process and the US will contribute to it to document the war crimes by helping gather evidence of them.

"We certainly see clear evidence that Russian forces are committing more crimes, and we are helping with the collecting of evidence of that," he told a press briefing. "As for what would come out of that, that's not a decision that the Pentagon leadership would make."

Earlier, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said it is Russia who is carrying out an "unprovoked and unjustified" war on Ukraine.

"We're seeing clear evidence that they're intentionally targeting civilians and committing indiscriminate attacks. The president’s comments speak to the horror, of the brutality that Russia and President (Vladimir) Putin are inflicting," she added.

Last week, Biden called Putin a "war criminal.”

Russia's war against Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, has been roundly denounced by the international community and has been met with biting Western and allied sanctions and export controls. The economic fallout has been exacerbated by an exodus of global firms from Russia.

At least 925 civilians have been killed during the war and 1,496 have been injured, according to the UN's tally.

The international body warns, however, that the true toll is "considerably higher."