A United Nations, UN, commission said, on Monday, it is gathering more and more evidence in Ukraine that the Russian army is torturing and attacking civilians.
“There is continuous evidence that Russian armed forces are committing war crimes in Ukraine,” the commission reported to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday.
It said the findings point to widespread and systematic use of torture by Russian forces against individuals accused of being informants for the Ukrainian armed forces.
“In some cases, torture was inflicted with such brutality that it caused the death of the victim,” a statement added.
The commission would now seek to determine whether the cases of torture and attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure constituted crimes against humanity, it said.
“The commission deplores that attacks affecting civilians and medical institutions, which have protected status, continue to take place,” it added.
In the Kherson region, the commission said, Russian soldiers raped and committed sexual violence against women aged 19 to 83.
Ukraine was also asked to clarify some cases of possible mistreatment of Russian prisoners of war.
It is very important that those responsible on all sides are held accountable, said the head of the commission, Erik Møse. (dpa/NAN)
