Written by (Mohamed Al-Baba)
Since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, human rights and international organizations have documented several violations committed by Russian forces, which may amount to war crimes. These violations include indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas, killing and injuring many civilians, and destroying civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and homes.
Amnesty International noted that Russian forces have shown “blatant disregard for civilian lives” by using ballistic missiles and other explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas.
The organization has also documented indiscriminate attacks in cities such as Voldar, Kharkiv, and Uman, resulting in civilian casualties and damage to residential buildings.
In addition, there have been reports of Russian forces using torture and enforced detention to impose their control over occupied areas. In some cases, Ukrainian authorities have begun trying those accused of committing acts of torture in absentia.
International and local organizations continue to collect evidence and testimonies to document these violations, with the aim of holding those responsible accountable and ensuring justice for the victims. However, the path to justice remains fraught with challenges, given the complexities of the conflict and the need for coordinated international efforts in this regard.
Killing and maiming of children
Children have been among the most affected. Human rights and international organizations have documented horrific war crimes committed against them, including killing and maiming, abduction and forced displacement, and direct targeting of hospitals and schools. These violations reflect the brutality of the war, and raise questions about the possibility of achieving justice for children who lost their lives or whose families were uprooted.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that hundreds of Ukrainian children have been killed and thousands more injured due to indiscriminate Russian shelling of residential areas. In Mariupol and Kharkiv, schools and children’s shelters were shelled despite being clearly civilian sites, resulting in casualties among the children who were sheltering there.
Forced Deportation of Children to Russia
One of the most controversial crimes is the forcible transfer of thousands of Ukrainian children by Russian forces to Russian territory, forcing them to obtain Russian citizenship, and placing them with Russian families. According to investigations by the International Criminal Court, this policy aims to erase the Ukrainian national identity of these children, which prompted the court to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in March 2023.
Although international law prohibits targeting educational and health facilities, reports by the United Nations and human rights organizations have documented the destruction of hundreds of schools and hospitals in Ukraine as a result of Russian bombing. In some cases, prohibited weapons were used, resulting in horrific injuries among children.
Kyiv has accused Moscow of forcing Ukrainian children in the occupied territories to join military training programs or indoctrinate them with pro-Russian political propaganda. Some reports indicate that Ukrainian children are being sent to “re-education” camps in Russia, where their consciousness is being reshaped in line with the official Russian narrative.
War crimes against Ukrainian children continue without serious accountability, despite international condemnations and sanctions imposed on Moscow. As evidence of these crimes accumulates, achieving justice for Ukrainian children remains an urgent demand that requires stronger international action to ensure accountability for perpetrators and end this humanitarian tragedy
Harrowing testimonies from survivors and human rights organizations about the Bucha and Irpin massacres
After the withdrawal of Russian forces from Bucha and Irpin in April 2022, the truth about the horrific massacres committed against civilians began to emerge. Human rights organizations and journalists documented testimonies from victims and survivors, along with photographs and forensic evidence, confirming the occurrence of systematic war crimes.
Survivors’ testimonies: ‘We thought we were all going to die’
‘They killed my family in front of me’ Anastasia Hryhorik, a 39-year-old woman, recounted how Russian forces stormed her home in Bucha and ordered her family out. “They forced us to kneel, and then shot my husband and brother in front of me. I was holding my little daughter’s hand, and she closed her eyes so she wouldn’t see the scene. They left us alive just to spread the horror to others,” she said.
‘Snipers targeted anyone who tried to escape’
In Irpin, where thousands of civilians tried to flee in the first hours of the invasion, many were targeted while crossing the Irpin Bridge, which has become a symbol of the tragedy.
Olexiy, a 52-year-old survivor, described the moment his family was killed in front of him:
‘The Russian soldiers were shooting indiscriminately. I saw a woman carrying her little child and she suddenly fell. I tried to reach her, but I saw snipers on the roof of a nearby building. They shot her deliberately.’
Human Rights Watch published a report documenting summary killings in Bucha, noting the presence of mass graves and signs of torture on the bodies, such as broken bones and gunshot wounds to the head.
- In one case, the bodies of men were found with their hands tied in the basement of a house, indicating summary executions.
- Testimonies from residents confirmed that Russian soldiers asked victims about their relationship with the Ukrainian army, and then killed them immediately if they did not like the answer.
In a report issued by the United Nations, cases of rape and sexual violence against women and children were documented, with Russian forces using violence as a tool of intimidation.
- A 50-year-old woman said she was raped in front of her daughter after her husband was killed.
- The organizations confirmed the discovery of the bodies of naked women with their hands tied, indicating that sexual assaults had taken place before they were killed.
International reactions and upcoming trials?
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for the forcible deportation of Ukrainian children, a documented war crime. The European Union has called for a special tribunal to be set up to try Russian officials responsible for the atrocities in Putcha and Irpin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also called for Russian soldiers to be prosecuted for genocide, stressing that the world will not forget these crimes.
As the war continues, survivors and families of victims continue to demand justice. While the evidence is clear, bringing the perpetrators to justice remains a challenge amid the complexities of international politics. But Putcha and Irpin have become symbols of brutality that will not be forgotten, and the call for accountability will remain until the perpetrators are punished.
