Lithuania Issues Note of Protest to Russia Over War Crimes and Executions of Military in Ukraine
On Tuesday, 26 November, Lithuania handed over a note of protest against Russia's war crimes in Ukraine to the Chargé d'Affaires of the aggressor state's embassy in the country, Alexander Yolkin. This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania.
According to the ministry, on 26 November, Lithuania summoned a representative of Russia to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and handed over a note expressing its strong protest against Russia's ongoing war crimes against Ukraine and its people.
‘As Russia continues its aggression against Ukraine and increasingly shells Ukrainian cities and their inhabitants, as well as critical infrastructure in them, there are reports with alarming regularity that Russian troops are shooting unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war and committing other war crimes,’ the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said.
The ministry noted that in October and November 2024 alone, at least three such cases were recorded, with more than 20 Ukrainian servicemen as victims.
‘At today's meeting, the representative of the Russian Federation was told that if the Russian leadership and law enforcement agencies do not take measures to investigate and prevent these crimes, they will be considered accomplices in these crimes,’ Lithuania said.
The statement also noted that Russian diplomats who justify Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and, through their active or passive efforts, wash away Russia's responsibility for numerous war crimes, will also have to share responsibility.
It is known that only on 26 November, Ukrainian law enforcement officers launched an investigation into the shooting of five captured Ukrainian soldiers in the Pokrovsk direction of the Donetsk region.
On 18 November, a representative of the Russian Embassy was summoned to the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and handed a note of protest over Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine, which has been going on for 1,000 days.