UN Commission calls crimes of russians against Ukrainians horrific, relentless and brutal

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, an investigative body under the UN mandate, published a report on the crimes of the aggressor state of russia against Ukrainians.

The corresponding document was published on the UN website on Friday, March 15.

The Commission noted that russia continues to violate the basic principles of humanitarian law and human rights obligations, which is why new evidence has been found. In particular, constant bombing of civilian objects is indicated without taking into account the protection of the population. In addition, the Commission said that satellite images indicate the complete extermination of residential areas of Mariupol.

According to the Commission, at least 58 medical infrastructure facilities and 11 power plants were damaged or destroyed in Mariupol. The report pointed out that attacks by occupiers resulted in civilian casualties, as well as destruction and damage to civilian facilities, also protected, such as hospitals and cultural heritage sites.

“New evidence strengthens the Commission’s previous findings that torture used by Russian authorities in Ukraine and in the Russian Federation has been widespread and systematic,” the report says.

The Commission confirmed that torture and bullying are a common and systematic practice of russians against Ukrainians. And the treatment of prisoners of war by Ukrainians in the report was called horrific, relentless and brutal.

In addition, the report recorded evidence of illegal movement of children to russian-controlled territories, as well as cases of rape and sexual violence against women, which equate to torture. The Commission also described the details of cases of sexualized torture and the threat of rape of male prisoners of war.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on February 27, 2022, Ukraine filed a lawsuit against russia at the UN International Court of Justice in The Hague due to military aggression.

On October 15, 2022, Pramila Patten, the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, said that rape is part of the russian "military strategy" and "deliberate tactics to dehumanize victims" in Ukraine.

On March 16, 2023, the Commission reported that russia had committed a wide range of war crimes in Ukraine.