13:00, 3 July 2009

ICPO: 5315 persons recognized to be victims in South-Ossetian war

Alexander Bastrykin, Chairman of the ICPO, has presented the above figure of those who suffered in the war in South Ossetia in August 2008 as the latest result of the investigation into the conflict in the Caucasus.

"We have completely proved the crime: genocide and mass murder of peaceful citizens. In total, 5315 persons have been recognized to be victims," said Mr Bastrykin.

According to his story, over hundred inspectors and prosecutors-criminalists worked in situ; they interrogated more than a thousand witnesses, the "Gazeta.Ru" reports.

Alexander Bastrykin has noted that Georgian militaries also killed peacemakers. "We don't know any other case of this sort in history when not bandits but regular army of a civilized state assassinated peacemakers from all types of weapon, including heavy armament," the "Echo Moskvy" Radio quotes Mr Bastrykin as saying.