Ukraine's attorney general denounces the "drastic increase" in the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war

BERLIN, Dec. 5 (DPA/EP) -

Ukraine's attorney general, Andrei Kostin, has denounced the "drastic increase" in the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in the country by Russian soldiers.

Kostin has accused the Russian military of deliberately using sexual violence as a weapon of war "to humiliate the Ukrainians", as reported by the dpa agency.

"In many cases, people are raped, tortured and then killed by Russian soldiers. The rapes often take place in front of family members and children," explained the attorney general, who has detailed that "all genders and age groups are affected".

Likewise, the head of the Public Ministry has added that Russian commanders often order or support such violations, reports dpa.

Wenzel Michalski, director of Human Rights Watch for Germany, has indicated that it is a systematic approach in the context of the violence that has occurred since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine.

"Violent acts committed by soldiers, including rape, are not punished by the Russian military and political leadership. On the contrary, forces that act with particular brutality continue to be honored," Michalski explained.