The Independent International Commission of Inquiry into Ukraine, under the UN Human Rights Council, has published a new report on Thursday in which it ensures that Russia has committed a “wide range” of violations of Humanitarian Law, as well as war crimes. and crimes against humanity in various regions of Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion.
“War crimes include attacks against civilians and energy-related infrastructure, intentional homicide, illegal confinement, torture, rape and other acts of sexual violence, as well as illegal transfers and deportations of minors,” it said in a statement.
The Commission has detailed that Russian forces have carried out attacks with explosive weapons in populated areas “with apparent indifference to the suffering of the civilian population.” “The attacks were indiscriminate and disproportionate, in violation of Humanitarian Law”, he added.
Likewise, it has indicated that attacks against critical infrastructures, which may constitute crimes against humanity, have caused “millions of people to be left without electricity or heating” for long periods.
The Commission, on the other hand, has documented “a pattern of illegal confinement” in areas in Ukraine controlled by Russian forces. “It was accompanied by consistent methods of torture against certain categories of people,” he has said.
The 18-page text also reflected “numerous cases of rape and sexual violence, as well as gender violence, committed by Russian forces “while they made house-to-house visits in towns under their control.”
Finally, in the report, the Commission has indicated that war crimes have been committed in terms of the transfer and deportation of minors, since “many of the children cannot establish contact with their families,” so they could lose ties with their parents. loved ones “indefinitely”.
“The Commission also documented a small number of violations committed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including probable indiscriminate attacks and two incidents classified as war crimes, in which Russian prisoners of war were shot, wounded, and tortured,” it said. release.
For the preparation of the report, the Commission traveled eight times to Ukraine, visiting 56 cities, towns and settlements. Likewise, he also went to Estonia and Georgia with the aim of meeting with Ukrainian refugees. In total, he interviewed 610 people both in person and remotely.
The Commission’s investigators visited graves, destroyed sites, detention and torture centers, or places with remains of weapons. Likewise, they also consulted documents, photographs, satellite images and videos.
