Policy

Russians kidnap Ukrainians in occupied territories and torture them – it’s a crime against humanity, – UN

The UN International Commission of Inquiry has concluded that the Russian authorities are systematically abducting Ukrainians in the occupied territories on a widespread basis, a crime against humanity.

This is stated in the report, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.

The Russian military and special services detain people who are considered a threat: local officials, journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens. Many prisoners of war also became victims of enforced disappearances.

After being detained, people were taken to detention centers in the occupied territories of Ukraine or deported to Russia, where they were tortured and sexually abused. Some of the abductees died. The fate and whereabouts of many remain unknown.

In response to inquiries from families of the missing, the Russian authorities at various levels have provided standardized responses that do not inform about the fate or whereabouts of the missing.

The UN International Commission of Inquiry notes that the abduction of civilians by Russians is a coordinated state policy of the Russian Federation.

Earlier, the Commission stated that the Russian authorities used torture as a crime against humanity. Recent investigations have also confirmed that when Russian Federal Security Service officers were in prison, they committed or ordered torture, in particular during interrogations.

A man who was detained by the occupiers said that FSB officers ordered him to be shocked and said:

“Old man, do not think that you will be spared because of your age. Go back to your cell and think carefully about your answers. And if your brain doesn’t work, we’ll bring your granddaughters here and beat the truth out of you in front of them.”

The Commission also described the systematic use of sexual violence as a form of torture, mostly against men. In recent investigations, the UN has documented new cases of rape of abducted women. There were cases of gang rape and other acts of violence.

The Commission also recorded an increase in the number of incidents in which the Russian military killed or wounded Ukrainian soldiers who were captured or tried to surrender. This is a war crime.

Investigators managed to interview soldiers who deserted the Russian army. Several of them reported that they had received orders not to take prisoners but to kill them, which indicates a coordinated policy on the part of the Russian Federation.

At the same time, the UN International Commission of Inquiry found that both sides of the conflict used drones to kill or wound already wounded soldiers, which is also a war crime.

The UN report described some violations of human rights laws by the Ukrainian authorities against suspected collaborators with the occupiers.