Russian-Ukrainian Probe of Donetsk Mass Graves Needed: Russian Human Rights Council Head

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Mikhail Fedotov, Head of Russia's Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights

Photo Credit: © RIA Novosti. Artyom Zhiteneev

Russia's Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights has suggested a public investigation into the mass graves near eastern Ukraine's Donetsk could be carried out by a joint Russian-Ukrainian human rights mission, the council's head Mikhail Fedotov told RIA Novosti in an interview.

"The members of the Council are taking an active part in the investigation of this situation, they have repeatedly visited the site," the official said.
Fedotov noted that the inquiry would require the assistance of forensic medical and other experts.
"It is extremely important for this investigation to be conducted at an international level under public control - so that no one would have doubts considering the accuracy and objectivity of the probe's results," the head of the human rights council underscored.

On September 23, several mass graves with over 400 bodies of civilians and independence supporters, apparently killed execution-style, were found northeast of Donetsk.

Independence supporters of southeastern Ukraine claim that the massacre was carried out by Ukraine's National Guard fighters, who had stayed in the area since April, when Kiev launched its military operation in the region. Ukrainian authorities have denied the accusation.

Last week, Russian Investigative Committee claimed it had irrefutable evidence of the National Guard and the Right Sector nationalist group's participation in the mass killings.