“As one of Ukraine’s most important allies, Germany has a special responsibility to make sure that the country’s leadership is actively enforcing the obligation to respect the laws of war and protect civilians,” the organization's deputy Europe and Central Asia director, Rachel Denber, was quoted as saying in a statement posted on its website.
In December, Ukrainian officials claimed government forces were not responsible for the use of explosives in attacks. However, HRW representatives noted that the Ukrainian government's investigation into the use of explosives was not complete.
The statement comes ahead of a meeting between Merkel and Yatsenyuk, who are scheduled to meet in Berlin on Thursday to discuss bilateral issues.
In July, HRW documented the use of unguided Grad rockets in the military conflict in southeastern Ukraine that erupted in April 2014. In October, the organization reported the widespread use of cluster munitions. In both cases, the weapons claimed the lives of civilians or caused serious injuries to dozens of people. The watchdog urged Ukrainian authorities to ensure that such weapons, prohibited under the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, were not used.
