Punish Russia for sex crimes: Ukraine ambassador

Ukraine’s ambassador-designate to Canada says Russia must be held accountable for its troops committing sex crimes, including against children.

Yulia Kovaliv told MPs at a House of Commons committee that Russia is using sexual violence as a weapon of war and said rape and sexual assault must be investigated as war crimes.

She said Ukraine was compiling “horrific documented evidence” of war crimes including sexual crimes by Russian soldiers.

“The horror is that children are victims of these sexual crimes which are done (before) the eyes of their parents,” she said. “Sexual crimes is part of the Russian weapon (against) Ukraine.”

She said Russia has also kidnapped Ukrainian children and taken them to Russian-occupied territories and now Russia itself. But Ukraine is working with partners to find the children and bring them back.

“Russians, a few days ago, killed a young mother and taped her living child to her body and attached a mine between them,” the ambassador said, choking back emotion. She said the mine detonated.

Robert Oliphant, parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs, said Canada was “very concerned” about “horrendous activities” by Russia toward women and children, including rape.

Speaking to the Commons foreign affairs committee, Kovaliv also expressed Ukraine’s “heartfelt thanks” to Canada for its continuing support. But she said the coming weeks are crucial to Ukraine’s defence and more military and financial help are needed, including the dropping of trade tariffs.