Killings, torture, unlawful confinement: UN commission tells about Russian crimes in Ukraine

"These reports, based on numerous missions to Ukraine and other testimonies, show that the Russian authorities have committed a wide range of violations, many of which amount to war crimes," Møse said, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

According to him, the violations include willful killings, attacks on civilians, unlawful confinement, torture, rape and sexual violence, as well as forcible transfer and deportation of children. Other violations include the use of explosive weapons in populated settlements, including attacks on energy infrastructure facilities.

"Recent Commission’s investigations confirmed previous conclusions that the use of torture by the Russian authorities in places of detention located in Ukraine and the Russian Federation is large-scale and systematic," Møse added.

The offenders mainly tortured people who were "considered to be supporters of the Ukrainian government", beatings and electric shocks were often used, he explained, adding: "Other methods were also used."

According to him, the Commission is currently studying in more detail the impact on the civilian population of the attacks on the energy infrastructure launched by the Russian armed forces on October 10, 2022.

"Regarding both the use of torture and the attacks on energy infrastructure facilities, we continue our investigations to determine whether they amount to crimes against humanity," Møse said.

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine was established by the Human Rights Council on March 4, 2022 to investigate violations of human rights, international humanitarian law and related crimes in the context of the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

The mandate of the Commission was extended on April 4, 2023 for another year.

The latest conclusions of the Commission on numerous war crimes and human rights violations were made public on October 20, 2023.