Russia's human rights violations in the occupied territories require international monitoring. The international community must not cease its efforts to monitor the human rights situation in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, even in the absence of full physical access.
This was stated in a comment to Guildhall by David McAllister (EPP), head of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee.
"Russia's actions in the occupied territories – including forced deportations, suppression of the Ukrainian language and identity, and widespread intimidation – require international monitoring. Although it is clear that access for UN-led missions currently faces serious political and practical obstacles due to Russian opposition, this does not diminish the importance of this initiative. The international community must continue to seek unhindered access and support all efforts to monitor, document and report on the human rights situation," McCallister said.
"Even in the absence of full physical access, reliable monitoring is possible using satellite data, survivor testimonies, digital evidence and cooperation with Ukrainian and international human rights organisations. It is essential that the lack of physical access does not become an excuse for inaction", the politician concluded.
On 24 June 2025, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution recognising the actions of the Russian Federation against Ukrainians in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine as ethnic cleansing. According to paragraph 14 of the resolution, Russia is carrying out ethnic cleansing through forced displacement, deportation and violent assimilation of Ukrainians in the occupied territories.
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