UN Geneva - Multimedia Newsroom : HRC 61 - Human Rights in Ukraine

Distinguished President Excellencies, together with my colleagues Pablo de Greve and Vendor Global, I'm pleased to brief the Human Rights Council on the most recent report of the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine.

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We have, in addition to the mandatory reports, published 2 conference room papers, one in May 25 about attacks on civilians with short range drones and another one this week about deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children.

Four years of army conflict in Ukraine have had a devastating impact on civilians.

Over 15,000 civilians have been killed and over 41,000 injured since the Russian Federation full scale invasion in 222, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, with an increase of 31% of casualties in 225.

Relentless attacks with explosive weapons in populated areas have led to death, injury, damage and destruction.

Massive attacks targeted the country's energy infrastructure during this particularly cold winter caused unbearable living conditions.

The Commission's findings over 4 mandates provide a disturbing account of violation, ascent, crime, the great scale, magnitude and gravity of which have increased over time.

In our investigations, we have relied on close to 2500 interviews and thousands of documents.

In November 225 the Commission travelled to Ukraine and the investigators went twice during this mandate.

Having said this, our Secretariat remains severely affected by the liquidity crisis at the United Nations.

As always, we extend our gratitude to those who have shared valuable information with us.

We are grateful for the cooperation of the Government of Ukraine.

The Commission regrets that the Russian Federation has not responded to any of its 39 written requests, including questions concerning the investigated cases.

Distinguished President's excellences.

In previous reports, we already established that the Russian authorities unlawful deportation of children from areas they occupied in Ukraine to the Russian Federation and the transfer to other areas they occupied in Ukraine amount to war crimes.

Through continuing investigations, the Commission has now verified the deportation and transfer of 1200 and five children and is aware of many other cases.

Where possible, the Commission has tracked the further movements and whereabouts of the children.

Deportations and transfers started shortly before the full scale invasion from areas in five occupied oblast of Ukraine and occurred coercively.

4 years later, 80% of these children have not returned.

Many parents, legal guardians of relatives, are still looking for them.

Instead of establishing A mechanism to facilitate the children's return, the Russian authorities at various levels have coordinated legal and practical actions to arrange for their long term placement with families or in institution In 21 regions of the Russian federations and in occupied areas of Ukraine.

In 222, the Russian authorities repeatedly declared that they prioritised adoption.

The evidence collected shows that these Acts have been committed following a carefully organised plan and pursuant to a policy concealed and executed at the highest level of the Russian government and regional authorities, including in occupied territories.

The scale and the scope of these crimes have led the Commission to conclude that Russian authorities have deported and forcibly transferred children as a crime against humanity.

In most cases investigated, Russian authorities have not informed the parents or legal guardians of the fate and whereabouts of the deported children.

Families remained unaware of the fate of the children for prolonged periods of time.

This has led to lengthy separation, distress and suffering.

These acts have been widespread and systematic, committed as a matter of policy, and amount to enforced disappearance as a crime against humanity.

Our report also describes the conduct of trials by Russian Federation courts in the context of the full scale invasion of Ukraine.

Civilians and prisoners of war from Ukraine were mainly charged with terrorism, espionage and violent seizure of power and convicted to severe sentences, including life imprisonment.

Russian authorities have systematically fabricated the evidence presenting during trial, often obtained by torture.

The courts have also disregarded fair trial guarantees.

The verdicts aligned with the case of the prosecution, as the guilt of the accused was accused, accused from the assumed from the outset, demonstrating a lack of independence and impartiality of the courts.

The Commission has concluded that the Russian authorities have committed grave breaches of international humanitarian law which constitute war crimes.

The Commission has continued to document cases of sexual violence committed by Russian armed forces.

In one case, a girl as young as 13 years was the victim of rape.

In another, a woman had child as a result of rape.

The Commission further investigated the recruitment of foreign nationals from 17 globally dispersed countries to fight together with the Russian Armed Forces.

Many of them have been deceived and lewd from abroad to the Russian Federation with false promises of work.

They were coerced to sign contracts they did not understand and were then sent to the front lines.

We also investigated the treatment of troops within the Russian Armed Forces.

The Commission interviewed 85 soldiers who had deserted.

Most of them testified about extreme violence and coercion being arbitrarily ordered or practised by the commanders.

Soldiers described being treated like cannon fodder or disposable material, sent on so-called meat, assaults without preparation equipment, evacuation plan and forced to advance at all costs.

They reported shooting of soldiers, mock executions, severe beatings, tying soldiers to trees and detention in pits.

Their testimonies demonstrate a total disregard for human life and dignity.

Turning to Ukraine, the Commission recalled the prevailing legal uncertainty resulting from the over broad definition of collaborative activities in criminal legislation.

Rulings of the Ukrainian Supreme Court illustrate the risk that activities pertaining to essential services to the population may fall within the scope of that provision.

The Commissioner also documented violations reported during mobilisation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

These include irregular administrative detention, lack of access to a lawyer and hurried medical examination.

Instances of violence have been recorded against conscientious objectors regardless of their expressed readiness to carry out alternative Civil Service distinguished precedent excellences.

As the armed conflict continues, the Commission has continued to document a wide array of crimes and violations with a severe impact on civilians.

Victims have many acute needs which require prompt and comprehensive response.

Survivor centred and child and gender sensitive support mechanisms are key to providing much needed assistance for victims and their families.

The Commissioner also reiterates the importance of judicial and non traditional accountability as a means to fulfil the rights of the victims.

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Ukraine appreciates the fruitful work of the independent International Commission inquiry.

We attach great importance to the findings reflected in the Commission's comprehensive report and conference room paper, both of which were presented to the Council today.

These findings once again indicate A grim reality.

Russia continues to commit grey violations of international law as part of its ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine.

One of Russia's most shocking crimes documented by the Commission is the deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children.

The Commission has verified the deportation or transfer of at least 1205 Ukrainian children.

Yet this figure represents only a small part of the full scale of the crime and reflects only those cases that the Commission has been able to examine.

These children were taken to the Russian Federation, placed in institutions or in adoption families across various regions and given Russian citizenship.

The Commission's findings are clear.

These deportations are so are not so-called evacuations, the terms that Russia has used, but organised transfers carried out as a part of a coordinated plan.

The Commission concludes that Russian authorities perpetrated these actions under the widespread and systematic policy orchestrated at the highest level of the Russian state, including personally by President Putin.

Therefore, Russia deportation, Russia's deportation and transfer of Ukrainian Ukrainian children constitute both war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The victims of these crimes cannot be seen as collateral damage of the war.

Instead, we are dealing with one of the Russia's deliberate strategies aimed at destroying future and the very fabric of the Ukrainian society, erasing Ukrainian identity.

Russia's authorities have been tasked with assimilating and indoctrinating Ukrainian children.

The international community must treat these crimes with full seriousness.

Russia must provide full information about the deportees whereabouts and immediately return every stolen child.

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President, the Commission's report also exposes systematic abuse of the Russian justice system as a tool of repression.

The Commission examined dozens of trials, trials conducted by Russian courts against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war.

The conclusion is unequivocal.

These are not judicial trials, but stage proceedings.

Confessions are extracted through torture.

Evidence is fabricated, verdicts are predetermined.

Russia deport Ukrainian civilians to be prosecuted in a foreign jurisdiction.

Ukrainian prisoners of war are denied their protected status under international humanitarian law.

These practises constitute great violation of the Geneva Conventions and our war crimes.

The Commission has also documented continued sexual and gender based violence committed by Russian forces.

This includes rape and sexual torture against civilians and detainees.

These crimes are part of a broader pattern of brutality that Russia uses to terrorise civilians and assert control over the Ukrainian areas it temporarily occupies.

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President, while unthinkable in 21st century, the Russian state has always, throughout its entire existence, relied on the pattern or of behaviour to subdue the nation's it set out to concur, or should I say integrate.

The Commission's finding presented today demonstrate once again that Russia's aggression against Ukraine is accompanied by systematic and widespread violations of international law.

These crimes must lead to accountability.

To ensure accountability for those who launched the war, Ukraine continues to work with its partners to establish a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against my country.

Concurrently, we are advancing international efforts to ensure compensation for the victims, including by way of establishment of an International Crimes Claims Commission.

Russia must be brought to comprehensive justice for the crime of aggression, for war crimes and for crimes against humanity.

Accountability is essential not only for Ukraine, but for the credibility of the entire international legal order.

Ukraine therefore calls on members of the of this Council to continue supporting the work of the Commission and to ensure the renewal of its mandate.

Justice for the victims must prevail.

Multiple lessons drawn not only from history but also from today's events show that impunity always encourages future crimes.

Everyone present here knows this very well, and I'm sure everyone here would like to see the vicious circle of crime broken.

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Members of the Commission, I thank you for your principled and critical important work in documenting the crimes of the Russian Federation.

For almost 12 years now, Russia has been conducting A deliberate war aimed at the destroying of the Ukrainian people.

This is not a series of isolated incidents.

It is a systematic state driven policy of terror.

To date, more than 200,000 crimes of aggression and war crimes have been documented.

About 15,000 civilians have been killed, 679 children have lost their lives and thousands more have been injured.

And these are only the confirmed figures.

The real numbers are significantly higher.

Everyday Russia carries out large scale coordinated strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

Their purpose is to create humanitarian catastrophe.

Millions of people are left without electricity, heating and water in the middle of winter at -20° under constant shelling, cold, darkness and fear are used by Russia as weapons.

In just one month, January, Russia launched more than 6000 drones, nearly 5500 guided aerial bombs and 158 missiles at the territory of Ukraine.

In February, a Russian drone struck a bus carrying miners.

12 people were killed on their way home from work.

This was not an exception.

This is the everyday reality of Russian terror in the temporary occupied territories.

Torture, killings, abductions and the deportation of children have become routine practise.

Where the Russian army appears, the rule of law disappears.

It is replaced by a repressive occupation regime.

Ukrainian soldiers held in Russian captivity are detained in inhuman conditions.

More than 95% of them are subjected to systematic and brutal torture, cruelty that is difficult even to imagine.

This is not chaos, it is a deliberate, constructed system.

I urge the Commission to continue documenting every crime, every strike and every killing, providing each one with proper legal assessment and demanding a resolute international response.

The Russian Federation must be accountable for full and inevitable responsibility for all crimes committees.

HRC 61 - Human Rights in Ukraine - 12 March 2026