Bombing, execution and torture: UN says evidence of Russian war crimes growing

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has stated that evidence of Russian war crimes in Ukraine is growing.

Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said on Friday, Ukrinform reports, referring to the UN press service.

“These include indiscriminate shelling and bombing of populated areas, summary execution of civilians. […] 92.3 per cent of what we have managed to record were recorded in Government-controlled territories, so attributable to the Russian armed forces,” she said.

Shamdasani noted that the UN recorded at least 2,343 cases of civilian deaths. “We are very concerned, we’re very worried about what’s coming next,” she added.

According to the spokesperson, almost every resident in Bucha that her colleagues spoke to, told about the death of a relative, a neighbour or a stranger. “We know much more needs to be done to uncover what happened there and we also know Bucha is not an isolated incident,” Shamdasani said, quoting the High Commissioner.

Underscoring that the true death toll is almost certainly much higher than what has been confirmed to date, Shamdasani said. She also added that “the scale of summary executions of civilians in areas previously occupied by Russian forces” was also emerging.

“The preservation of evidence and decent treatment of mortal remains must be ensured, as well as the psychological and other relief for victims and their relatives,” she said.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet condemned the “horrors” committed against civilians in Ukraine, stressing that “international humanitarian law has not merely been ignored but seemingly tossed aside”.  

Russian armed forces have “indiscriminately shelled and bombed populated areas,” she added, “killing civilians and wrecking hospitals, schools and other civilian infrastructure, actions that may amount to war crimes,” the High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops have been shelling and destroying key infrastructure facilities, conducting massive shelling of residential areas of Ukrainian cities and villages using artillery, multiple rocket launchers and ballistic missiles.

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