Current:Home > ContactRussians committing rape, 'widespread' torture against Ukrainians, UN report finds -InvestPioneer
Russians committing rape, 'widespread' torture against Ukrainians, UN report finds
View
Date:2025-04-16 20:21:42
Russian forces are allegedly committing continuous war crimes in Ukraine, including rape and "widespread and systematic" torture, the latest Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine found.
The Russians are allegedly torturing people accused of being Ukrainian army informants in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, and in one case, the torture was so extreme that it caused a victim's death, the commission said in its latest report to the U.N. Human Rights Council on Monday.
MORE: It's a kayak with a grenade launcher. And it could be game-changer in Ukraine.
One torture survivor said, "Every time I answered that I didn't know or didn't remember something, they gave me electric shocks," according to the commission.
MORE: Bucha survivors recount 'senseless' horror as they emerge from hiding
"Well into the second year of the armed conflict, people in Ukraine have been continuing to cope with the loss and injury of loved ones, large-scale destruction, suffering and trauma as well as economic hardship that have resulted from it," Eric Mose, chair of the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, wrote in the report. "Thousands have been killed and injured, and millions remain internally displaced or out of the country."
In the Kherson region, members of the Russian forces allegedly sexually assaulted women as their relatives were forced to listen from nearby rooms, the commission said. Sexual assault victims ranged in age from 19 to 83.
The commission also found evidence of "unlawful attacks with explosive weapons," including attacks on residential buildings, shops, a restaurant and a medical facility.
Konstantin Yefremov, a senior Russian army lieutenant who fled Russia, told ABC News in February he witnessed his country's troops torture prisoners in Ukraine, including beating and threats to rape.
Yefremov, 33, spent three months as an officer in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region and said he personally witnessed the torture of Ukrainian prisoners during interrogations, including the shooting of one POW in the arms and legs and threats of rape.
The commission stressed "the need for accountability" for Russia's "scale and gravity of violations," as well as "the need for the Ukrainian authorities to expeditiously and thoroughly investigate the few cases of violations by its own forces."
ABC News' Patrick Reevell contributed to this report.
veryGood! (33)
Related
- 2 killed, 3 injured in shooting at makeshift club in Houston
- Nearly 50 years after being found dead in a Pennsylvania cave, ‘Pinnacle Man’ is identified
- Krispy Kreme marks Barbie's 65th anniversary with pink, sparkly doughnuts
- Jewel supports Chappell Roan's harassment comments: 'I've had hundreds of stalkers'
- Charges tied to China weigh on GM in Q4, but profit and revenue top expectations
- FBI arrests former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul
- Mistrial declared after jury deadlocks in rape case of former New Hampshire youth center worker
- Krispy Kreme marks Barbie's 65th anniversary with pink, sparkly doughnuts
- Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
- Trans-Siberian Orchestra reveals 2024 dates for The Lost Christmas Eve tour
Ranking
- Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
- Queen Camilla Shares Update on King Charles III's Health Amid Cancer Treatment
- When is 'The Bachelorette' finale? Date, time, finalists, where to watch Jenn Tran's big decision
- Matthew Gaudreau's Pregnant Wife Madeline Shares What’s Keeping Her Going After His Tragic Death
- Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
- Republicans in Massachusetts pick candidate to take on Sen. Elizabeth Warren
- Kristin Cavallari Shares Why She’s Having the Best Sex of Her Life With Mark Estes
- Can dogs eat watermelon? Ways to feed your pup fruit safely.
Recommendation
Hackers hit Rhode Island benefits system in major cyberattack. Personal data could be released soon
Lady Gaga and Fiancé Michael Polansky's Venice International Film Festival Looks Deserve All The Applause
Queen Camilla Shares Update on King Charles III's Health Amid Cancer Treatment
Inter Miami star Luis Suarez announces retirement from Uruguay national team
DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
South Carolina Is Considered a Model for ‘Managed Retreat’ From Coastal Areas Threatened by Climate Change
Scottie Scheffler has a strong mind that will be put to the test as expectations rise: Analysis
Murder on Music Row: An off-key singer with $10K to burn helped solve a Nashville murder