Germany gathers 500 testimonies on Russian war crimes in Ukraine

Germany has gathered over 500 pieces of evidence of war crimes committed by Russia during its Ukraine invasion.

More than 160 witnesses have been interviewed, says German Justice Minister Mark Bushman.

"We want to convince victims and eyewitnesses of traumatic events to share their experiences with the police."

The minister believes that the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin means that Germany needs to continue collecting evidence.

Bushman also expressed hope that Putin will eventually be brought to justice.

"Every photo and every film on a cell phone can help clarify the situation. Anyone who deletes such materials only helps Russian war criminals."

Next week, the German Ministry of Justice will host a conference on international law, lifting up the ever-increasing number of Russian drone strikes on civilian targets in Ukraine.

"If a Russian drone is aimed by a soldier at a residential building with civilians in it, it is a war crime."

He announced his intention to expand international cooperation with Ukraine, Poland and the United States.

The minister believes that the new government in Warsaw plays an important role in the investigation, as Poland not only borders Ukraine but has also received millions of Ukrainian refugees.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Ukrainian police have opened more than 105,000 criminal proceedings on war crimes committed by Russian troops.