As Attorney General, I have been working with Ukraine’s Prosecutor General, Iryna Venediktova, to find out what more we can do to support Ukraine’s journey to justice against Russia. Her fortitude and resilience is incredible to see, and my admiration for her grows with every meeting. This week, I was honoured to sign a joint statement with Iryna which reaffirms the UK Government’s support for Ukraine in its fight to hold Russia accountable for the crimes that it is committing on Ukrainian soil.
Russia’s crimes might be tried in the courtrooms of Kyiv, The Hague or even in the UK; but whatever the forum, it is critical to gather the evidence now. The Deputy Prime Minister is leading a special taskforce bringing together the best British expertise from across government, to help the Ukrainians do this as effectively as possible. The evidence is there, the world can see it accruing. Our job now is to collect it, preserve it and use it when the moment comes.
The bravery of ordinary Ukrainians and their families knows no bounds.The joint statement restates our commitment to helping with the gathering of evidence of crimes which could include crimes against humanity and war crimes. This could include collecting the testimony of Ukrainian refugees who are victims or witnesses of crimes committed during the invasion. It could also include the collection or preservation of documentary evidence, and ultimately the identification and apprehension of suspects. A solid and properly collected evidential basis will help create a firm foundation for future prosecutions. The Met police has already put out a call for evidence from anyone in the UK who may have direct evidence of war crimes in Ukraine.
We have a clear message to Russian leaders and Russian soldiers on the ground in Ukraine; your actions will have consequences and the UK will stand firmly behind Ukraine throughout its journey to justice.
We will always defend the Ukrainian people’s right to choose their own future. They have chosen freedom and justice. And Russia’s war criminals have chosen to be behind bars.
Suella Braverman MP is the Attorney General
