There is ongoing evidence that the Russian military is committing war crimes in Ukraine, including unlawful attacks with explosive weapons, attacks that harm civilians, torture, sexual and genderbased violence, and attacks on energy infrastructure.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had already been indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity, prompting the court’s prosecutor to request his arrest. The complaint relates in particular to violations against children deported to Russian territory.
In the case of the new report, its conclusions do not mean that there will be an immediate new sanction against the Russians. But it increases political pressure on the Russians.
The new data also embarrasses countries allied with the Kremlin, justifying that the allegations have so far only been made by Western governments. The work of the inspectors is carried out independently.
Since its inception, members of the Commission have traveled to Ukraine more than ten times. As part of their investigation, its members and investigators met with government officials, international organizations, civil society and other groups.
For the Ukrainian government, the report makes it clear that those responsible for the crimes must be prosecuted and punished. The governments of the Baltic states also argued that there should be no impunity for violations, while the European Union condemned the Russian invasion and warned that data on torture could amount to “crimes against humanity.”