UN Human Rights Commission Determines War Crimes Were Committed in Ukraine

A United Nations human rights commission found evidence of war crimes in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Axios reports.

The International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine said its initial investigation found that war crimes have been committed amid the invasion.

The UN Human Rights Council voted to create the commission days after Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

Investigating and prosecuting war crimes could take years. And the conflict is likely to escalate further after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a mobilization of about 300,00 0citizens.

Thousands of civilian deaths:

The commission estimated that at least 5,916 civilians have been killed and 8,616 others have been injured during the invasion, though the actual figures are likely much higher.

The commission focused its investigation on the regions around Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy and visited 27 towns and interviewed more than 150 victims and witnesses.

"We have inspected sites of destruction, graves, places of detention and torture, as well as weapon remnants, and consulted a large number of documents and reports," said Erik Mose, the commission chair.

"A number of the attacks we investigated had been carried out without distinguishing between civilians and combatants," he said. "This included some attacks with cluster munitions or multi-launch rocket systems and airstrikes in populated areas."

Missiles harm civilians:

The commission said the use of explosive weapons in populated areas have been a “source of immense harm and suffering for civilians.”

In some cities, entire areas were “devastated.”

Russian soldiers have also committed "sexual violence, torture, and cruel and inhuman treatment."

"There are examples of cases where relatives were forced to witness the crimes. In the cases we have investigated, the age of victims of sexual and gendered-based violence ranged from four to 82 years,” the commission said.

 

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