Russian prosecutor asks court to recognise Nazi WW2 crimes around Moscow as genocide

FILE PHOTO: The Kremlin is seen before the lights are switched off for Earth Hour in Moscow, Russia, March 30, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

(Reuters) - Russian prosecutors have asked a court to recognise crimes committed by Nazi Germany in the Moscow region during World War Two as genocide and believe that around 6.4 trillion roubles ($82.3 billion) in damage was caused, they said on Thursday.

It was unclear whether the move was a prelude to a new financial compensation claim from Russia to modern Germany, with which relations have soured badly over Moscow's war in Ukraine.