Murder, torture and rape but no genocide: the latest UN report on Ukraine

Adriana Lima
By Adriana Lima 3 Min Read
origin 1A vendor waits for customers at a local market with partially damaged shops after shelling in the city of Orekhovo, Ukraine on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 ©Andriy Andriyenko/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved.

A United Nations report found that Russia committed war crimes in Ukraine but avoided classifying its actions as “genocide”.

THE United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry into Ukraine Thursday, March 16, the Human Rights Council released its full report.

The report cited incidents of murder, torture and rape of civilians, but the authors said there was no direct evidence these were motivated by genocidal intent and said the matter warrants further investigation.

“We have not found that there was a genocide in Ukraine,” said the head of the UN investigation team, “Erik Møse. That said, we are, of course, following all kinds of evidence within this area.” , and we noted that there are some aspects that can raise questions about this crime (genocide). For example, some statements in the Russian media targeting the groups.”

The panel also said that the illegal transfer of children from Ukraine by Russian authorities constitutes “a war crime”.

“The commission investigated the situation of forced transfers and deportations of children within Ukraine and in the Russian Federation,” said Jasminka Dzhumhur, UN Investigative Commissioner for Ukraine. “The figures provided by the parties vary widely. It has identified several situations where such transfers and deportations have taken place in incidents examined by the commission.”

The commission also found that Russia’s wave of attacks on Ukraine’s energy and water infrastructure may also amount to crimes against humanity.

The report is the highest-level international inquiry into the war to date.

The commission’s three members are independent human rights experts, and its staff receive support and funding from the United Nations Human Rights Council and Office.

Russia has not responded to the inquiry’s calls for information.

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