The findings were made in the first report of Independent International Commission of Inquiry into Ukrainewas established in March of this year, at the request of Dong Nhan Quyen Association Member States.
Much of the Commission’s work has focused on investigations in the Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy regions, where the most serious human rights abuse allegations have been brought against Russia, or its forces. support, from the very beginning of the war.
Thorough investigation
Committee Chairman Erik Møse said that investigators visited 27 towns and settlements and interviews with more than 150 victims and witnesses. They also examined “destroyed sites, graves, places of detention and torture”, as well as the remains of weapons.
“Based on the evidence gathered so far During the existence of the Commission, we discovered that after carrying out investigations in the four regions mentioned above, we discovered that war crimes were committed in Ukraine,” he said. with journalists in Geneva.
That conclusion is consistent with the results published earlier this year by the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (HRMMU).
It is recorded illegal killings – including executions of civilians – in more than 30 settlements areas of Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy, by the Russian armed forces while they controlled these areas in late February and March.
Brutal execution
Other key findings from the report include a surprising “large number of executions” in 16 towns and settlements, where “common elements” of crime include “Signs of execution were visible on the body, such as hands tied behind his back, gunshot wounds to the head, and cuts to the throat.“.
The report, sent to the Human Rights Council earlier on Friday, also documents how Russian Federation forces use explosive weapons, “regardless of civilians and combatants in densely populated areas”.
“We have been hit by a large number of executions and other violations by Russian forces, and the Commission has received consistent reporting of torture and ill-treatment. “
Sexual violence, including against children
Horrible accusations about Sexual violence against Ukrainian communities – including children – was also found to have a factual basis.
“The commission investigated cases of gender-based sexual violence. It records cases where some soldiers of the Russian Federation have committed such crimes,” said Commissioner Jasminka Džumhur.
Ukrainian forces are also responsible for human rights violations, said Commissioner Pablo de Greiff: “We have found two cases of mistreatment of soldiers of the Russian Federation by Ukrainian soldiers, and we mentioned this in our statement. We have clearly found a significantly larger number of cases involving war crimes on parts of the Russian Federation. “
UN photo / Ekinder Debebe
UN Secretary-General António Guterres (centre) visits Bucha, a suburb of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
