US Vice President Kamala Harris accused Russia of “crimes against humanity” in Ukraine on Saturday, saying Moscow’s forces had carried out “widespread and systemic” attacks on the country’s civilian population.
She made the remarks at the Munich Security Conference, just days before the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion, which triggered war in Europe for the first time in decades.
“The United States has formally determined that Russia has committed crimes against humanity,” she told world leaders at the gathering, marking the first time the US has labeled Russia’s actions in Ukraine as such.
“Their actions are an attack on our shared values and humanity,” she said. “Russian forces have carried out a widespread and systematic assault on a civilian population.”
Harris levelled a list of allegations at Moscow’s troops “gruesome acts of murder, torture, rape and deportation, execution-style killings, beatings and electrocution”.
“I say to all those who have perpetrated these crimes, and to their superiors who are complicit in these crimes: you will be held accountable… Justice must be served,” the former prosecutor added.
