A war crimes probe has been launched after five civilians were killed in a Russian drone attack in the northern Ukrainian region of Sumy, Kiev prosecutors announced on Tuesday.

The probe was launched just days before the second anniversary of the start of the conflict.

A house in the village of Nova Sloboda was completely destroyed, the prosecutors said, after two combat drones attacked the village located just under 6 kilometres from the Russian border.

The public prosecutor’s office is also investigating the alleged shooting of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian soldiers, which would also constitute a war crime.

On Tuesday, a drone video emerged in which three Ukrainian soldiers were allegedly seen being shot in the Zaporizhzhya region after having surrendered.

Ukrainian prosecutors had already begun investigating two other alleged shootings of prisoners of war near Avdiivka and Vesele in the Donetsk region.

At a meeting of the U.S. Helsinki Commission in the German city of Nuremberg on Tuesday, members of the U.S. Congress from both parties expressed determination to prosecute war crimes in Ukraine.

The situation in Ukraine is well documented via many video recordings, for example on social media, Republican Congressman Joe Wilson said.

“This could be crucial to hold accountable the Russian authorities,” he added as he compared Russia’s alleged war crimes to those committed by the Nazis in World War II.

According to Ukrainian information, over 120,000 reports of possible war crimes have already been registered since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) major industrialised nations will meet via video conference on Saturday, the second anniversary of the invasion, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky set to take part.

As acting G7 chair, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will chair the conference which will focus on the Ukraine war, her office said.

With an eye on that anniversary, Sweden promised Kiev new military aid worth 7.1 billion Swedish kroner ($684 million), as part of its 15th and largest aid package to date.

Sweden, which hopes to soon become the 32nd member of NATO, intends to provide Ukraine with Stridsbåt 90 (CB90) combat boats, underwater weapons such as mines, artillery ammunition and air defence equipment, Defence Minister Pål Jonson said in Stockholm.

Included in the package is 1 billion kroner to order around 10 new CV90 armoured personnel carriers precisely tailored to Ukraine’s needs, said Jonson.

Sweden wanted to show that it would support Ukraine in the long term and for as long as necessary.

By supporting the country, Sweden is also investing in its own security, the minister said, as the former neutral nation nears NATO membership after Turkish objections faded.

Jonson left open how quickly the material can be delivered to Ukraine. However, preparations for the deliveries should begin as soon as the Swedish parliament has formally given its approval.

The government intends to submit a corresponding draft resolution to parliament on Thursday.

As the war edges towards entering its third year, a survey by the UN Refugee Agency has found that the majority of Ukrainian refugees and those who have been internally displaced want to return to their old homes.

Of a total of 9,900 people surveyed in January and February, 65 per cent of refugees and 72 per cent of displaced persons expressed a desire to return, said Philippe Leclerc, the agency’s regional director for Europe.

The UNHCR estimates that around 6.5 million people have fled from Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022.

About 3.7 million others have been displaced from their homes by the fighting and have found refuge in other parts of Ukraine.

Authorities also said on Tuesday that 11 Ukrainian children separated from their relatives in the conflict have returned to Ukraine.

(dpa/NAN)