UN finds continued war crimes and human rights violations gravely impacting civilians in Ukraine

The Commission’s recent investigations in the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia show that rape and other sexual violence were often committed together with additional acts of violence against the victims, including severe beatings, strangling, suffocating, slashing, shooting next to the head of the victim and wilful killing.

A 75-year-old woman who stayed alone to protect her property, was attacked by a Russian soldier who hit her on her face, chest, and ribs, strangled her, as he was interrogating her. He ordered her to undress and when she refused, he ripped off her clothes, cut her abdomen with a small sharp object and raped her several times. In addition to the consequences of the rapes, the victim suffered several broken ribs and teeth. The Commission found that, in addition to rape, the war crime of torture was also committed against the victim.

The full report is here (pdf): www.ohchr.org/sites/default/…/A-78-540-AEV.pdf