UN outlines ‘horror story’ of potential Russian war crimes inside Ukraine
GENEVA — The United Nations on Friday detailed a “horror story” of possible war crimes and abuses unfolding in Ukraine, citing indiscriminate shelling, hundreds of summary executions and the widespread devastation of civilian lives.
“International humanitarian law has not merely been ignored but seemingly tossed aside,” Michelle
Bachelet, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, said in a statement.
She called the strike on the train station in Kramatorsk, which killed more than 50 civilians and injured scores, “emblematic of Russian forces’ indiscriminate bombardment of civilian targets” that may amount to war crimes.
“Our work to date has detailed a horror story of violations perpetrated against civilians,” she said in the statement.
While Ukrainian forces have committed abuses, including ill treatment or torture of prisoners of war, “the vast majority” of alleged abuses were attributed to Russian armed forces, Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the U.N. human rights office, told a news briefing in Geneva.
She said U.N. human rights monitors in Ukraine had documented the summary execution of 50 civilians in Bucha, a few miles west of Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital. Monitors are investigating allegations involving the killings of more than 300 civilians in other areas that had been controlled by Russian forces and also 75 cases of sexual violence, Shamdasani added.
The latest U.N. data show that 2,435 civilians have been confirmed killed in the fighting since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — but the true toll is likely far higher.
“There already has been a bloodbath,” Shamdasani said. “We are very worried about what’s coming next.”
The U.N. estimates that at least 3,000 civilians have died because they were unable to access medical care or due to strenuous conditions — which includes being forced to shelter in basements or apartments for days or weeks on end, Bachelet’s statement said.
It cited widespread detention of civilians by Russian forces — with monitors confirming 155 cases — including of local officials, journalists and human rights activists. Some were reportedly tortured or ill-treated and left without food or water, the statement added.
“Those in command of armed forces must make it clear to their fighters that anyone found to have been involved in such violations will be prosecuted and held accountable,” Bachelet said.