Belarusian-Russian team set up to investigate genocide of Soviet nation during WW2

The offices of the prosecutors general of Belarus and Russia have set up a joint taskforce to establish circumstances of the genocide of the Soviet nation during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, BelTA learned from the website of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Russia.

According to the source, massive work is in progress in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus to collect evidence and find out circumstances of the genocide of the Soviet nation during the Great Patriotic War. The information is necessary for a complete and comprehensive investigation. The message reads: “The tragedy the Soviet nation lived through, the historical memory about horrors of fascism, irreplaceable loss of life and the cost of the victory secured over the German invaders thanks to the unity of USSR peoples suggest unconditional consolidation of Russia's and Belarus' efforts in the investigation of criminal cases into genocide.” The taskforce was set up to coordinate investigation efforts, promptly share data and the best practices, and prevent the rehabilitation of ideas of Nazism today. The taskforce includes experienced and qualified specialists of the offices of the prosecutors general of Belarus and Russia.

In particular, the Russian personnel of the joint taskforce includes representatives of the Central Military Prosecution, the Central Office for International Legal Cooperation, the offices in charge of overseeing the execution of laws on federal security, interethnic relations, counteraction of extremism and terrorism.

According to the source, many of them have been working on the investigation since 2019. Among other things they participated in studying and declassification of archive documents, oversaw a criminal investigation into the genocide of the Soviet nation, and participated in preparing civil lawsuits on recognizing crimes, which were committed by the Nazi and their accomplices against civilians and POWs during the Great Patriotic War, as military crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide of Soviet Union peoples.

Apart from that, participants of the taskforce regularly analyze regulations on immortalizing the victory of the Soviet nation in the Great Patriotic War and work out proposals to improve the relevant legislation. They also participate in preparing and hosting significant international events relating to these topics.