Ukraine: Russian soldiers increasingly use sexual violence as weapon

Ukrainian Attorney General Andriy Kostin has denounced a "drastic increase" in sexual violence by Russian soldiers as part of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
All genders and age groups are affected, Kostin told the newspapers of Germany's Funke Media Group and French newspaper Ouest-France in remarks seen by dpa prior to publication on Monday.
Kostin accused Russian soldiers of deliberately using sexual violence as a weapon of war "to humiliate Ukrainians."
"In many cases, people are raped, tortured and then killed by Russian soldiers. Often rape take place in front of relatives and children," Kostin said.
Russian commanders often ordered or at least supported rape, Kostin said.
His statements could not be independently verified.
Wenzel Michalski, director of the German branch of Human Rights Watch, also sees a systematic approach to violence when it comes to the Russian invasion of Ukraine that began at the end of February.
"Atrocities against civilians are part of the war tactics of Russian soldiers in Ukraine," Michalski told the newspapers of the Funke Media Group.
"Violent acts committed by soldiers, including rape, are not punished by Russian political leaders and the military. On the contrary, forces that act with particular brutality are still being honoured," he said.
According to the Ukrainian attorney general, almost 8,500 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since the war began some nine months ago, including 440 children. More than 11,000 civilians have been injured.