UN human rights observers have found that almost three years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the human rights situation in the country and the Russian-occupied territories is trending downward, as military operations have intensified, increasing civilian casualties. And torture, summary executions and other gross violations are on the rise.
“The human rights situation remains dire due to the increasing number of civilian deaths, continued executions and torture of prisoners of war, and Russia’s efforts to tighten its control over occupied Ukrainian territory,” according to a new UN human rights report. Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, HRMMU.
The report, released on Tuesday by the UN Human Rights Office, covers major developments in the human rights situation between September 1 and November 30, 2024. It is based on information collected during dozens of field trips and visits to detention centres. As well as interviews with over 800 victims and witnesses of human rights violations.
“Behind every fact and figure in this report are stories of loss and human suffering, showing the devastating impact of the war across Ukraine,” HRMUU head Danielle Bell said in a statement issued from Kyiv as the report was released.
He said HRMMU teams documented 574 civilian deaths and more than 3,000 civilian injuries over a three-month period, adding that September recorded the highest monthly casualty count since July 2022.
The report attributes the increase in civilian deaths primarily to “intense military operations” by Russian armed forces, particularly in other Russian government-controlled areas of Kherson, Donetsk and Kharkiv.
“The use of air-glide bombs and short-range drones has resulted in large numbers of civilian casualties and damage to communities,” the report said. The report said that in mid-November, Russian armed forces began conducting large-scale coordinated airstrikes against Ukraine. Critical Energy Infrastructure.
“The attacks disrupted electricity and dependent services such as water, heating and transportation services in many areas,” it said, adding that Ukraine’s energy capacity was further reduced as winter approached.
There was no immediate reaction to the report from Russian or Ukrainian officials.
A spokesperson for the UN human rights office told VOA that the office “in accordance with usual practice, has sent the report to the Russian Federation before its publication. We did not receive any comments from them.”
Ukrainian prisoners of war were victims of sexual violence
The report finds that torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian POWs at the hands of the Russian Federation “has been widespread and systematic.” It said 42 recently released Ukrainian POWs have presented “credible and detailed accounts” of the torture they experienced during their captivity, “including beatings, electric shocks and prolonged solitary confinement.”
It said the use of sexual violence is prevalent against both women and men, with many facing “rape, electric shocks and genital beatings, forced nudity, and threats of rape and castration.”
Since late August, UN monitors have recorded a significant increase in “credible allegations of executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war”, including the killing of 62 individuals in 19 incidents. The United Nations Human Rights Office has confirmed “the execution of 15 Ukrainian soldiers”.
While Russian POWs have also been subjected to torture and ill-treatment by Ukrainian authorities, the report’s authors say this has occurred to a much lesser extent and primarily when prisoners were “held in transit facilities during the initial stages of captivity Was gone.”
It said the human rights office documented the death of a Russian POW in a transit facility due to torture in early 2024 and is investigating the deaths of two other Russian POWs under similar circumstances.
The report also examines the Russian Federation’s treatment of civilians in the occupied territory of Ukraine and Crimea, which it illegally annexed in 2014.
imposition of Russian identity
The report’s authors accused Russia of strengthening its control over the occupied territory by imposing Russian laws, in violation of its obligations under international humanitarian law, “resulting in violations of fundamental rights and freedoms, property ownership and cultural rights.” And restrictions were imposed.”
They cite the example of a new strategy adopted by Russian authorities in September “to force Ukrainian children and youth in the occupied territory to demonstrate loyalty to the Russian Federation.” The strategy includes training children in military skills as part of summer recreational activities and using propaganda in education.
“In the summer of 2024, Russian occupation authorities sent children from the occupied territory of Ukraine to camps in Crimea and the Russian Federation, where both girls and boys received military training and participated in activities focused on strengthening Russian patriotism and identity. Participated,” in violation of international humanitarian law and human rights law, he says.
The report criticizes the Russian Federation for “silencing criticism of Russian military actions”, restricting religious freedom and restricting freedom of expression.
The report also finds fault with provisions adopted by the Ukrainian government in areas under its control that “prohibit the activities of Ukrainian religious organizations affiliated with counterparts in the Russian Federation.”
The authors say that these provisions disproportionately restrict the free expression of one’s religion or belief and “should be amended to fully align with international human rights law.”