UPDATE - Germany says Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure are ‘war crimes’

UPDATES WITH JOINT STATEMENT BY G7 JUSTICE MINISTERS , CHANGES DECK, EDITS THROUGHOUT

BERLIN (AA) - Russia’s attacks on heating and electricity infrastructure in Ukraine amount to “war crimes,” Germany’s Justice Minister Marco Buschmann said on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting of Group of Seven justice ministers in Berlin, Buschmann said Russia is trying to use winter as a “war weapon” against Ukrainians.

“We all agree that heinous war crimes are being committed in Ukraine, the international community condemns this war, and the way it is conducted, in the strongest possible terms,” he said.

Buschmann accused Russia of “deliberately” and “systematically” attacking civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, destroying heating and electricity systems, and leaving people in desperate situation amid freezing temperatures.

“This military action against the civilian population is heinous and we condemn this in the strongest possible terms,” he stressed.

Buschmann said Ukrainian Justice Minister Denys Maliuska and Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin also attended the G7 meetings, where they discussed with colleagues ways to improve investigations into committed war crimes in Ukraine and bring war criminals to justice.

A joint statement of justice ministers released after the meeting underlined that the G7 countries will support Ukrainian judicial authorities, and take necessary steps for the prosecution of war crimes committed by Russian troops.

”There can be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities. Criminal prosecution of core international crimes is of the highest priority to us,” the ministers said, adding that they will enhance cooperation to better coordinate these investigations.

“We will therefore ensure there is a central national contact point in each state for the prosecution of these international crimes,” they further said.

The G7 is an informal forum of seven leading industrial nations, including Germany, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US. Germany is holding the presidency of the grouping this year.