Russia’s aggression in Ukraine

Evidence of war crimes

Russian forces have been committing atrocities against Ukrainian civilians ever since the invasion of Crimea in 2014.  

Directly targeting civilians during armed conflict is a war crime. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for Russian forces to coordinate attacks on buildings that are being used to house civilians.  

Attacks like this have occurred throughout the conflict, starting in the first few weeks after the full-scale invasion in residential areas like Bucha and Borodyanka, where people were unlawfully killed by Russian troops. Not long later, Russian air strikes hit the Donetsk Regional Academic Drama theatre in Mariupol, which was housing hundreds of civilians displaced by destruction.    

Calls for international justice

Truth, justice and reparations for Ukraine is not just about ending the war. It also hinges on bringing all those who have committed crimes under international law to justice, no matter how powerful they are, and providing victims access to full and effective reparations for the pain they’ve suffered.   

The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for war crimes and crimes against humanity against Russian President Vladiamir Putin and military commanders Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov. Maria Lvova-Belova, Commissioner for Children’s Rights, has also been indicted for war crimes involving children.  

Since the full-scale invasion, international investigations and evidence collection and preservation has played a crucial role in the pursuit of truth, justice and reparations.  

For more than a decade, our researchers have collected evidence of Russian war crimes in Ukraine. Justice for Ukrainians will only be served when the perpetrators of every single one of those crimes are held to account.  

Impacts on the right to education

Everyone has a right to education, no matter the circumstances. Amid the fighting and destruction, it’s easy to forget that people in Ukraine are still carrying on with everyday routines, like going to work or sending their kids to school. 

Unfortunately, children’s education is yet another casualty of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. Since the invasion, schools and other educational facilities have been the targets of Russian attacks. Children in areas occupied by Russian forces live in fear of being sent to ‘re-education’ institutions where they are indoctrinated by pro-Russian propaganda. 

Ukrainians in Russian captivity

Russian forces capture and detain civilians in occupied territories, or in some cases send them to detention centres in Russia. These captives are often subjected to torture and ill-treatment and forced through abusive screening or ‘filtration’ processes.  

There are cases where unaccompanied children, older people and people with disabilities were captured from safer, Ukrainian controlled areas and forcibly transferred to places like Donetsk, which is controlled by Russia.  

The forcible transfer and deportation of civilians is a war crime and likely a crime against humanity. These can also lead to arbitrary detentions, which is a human rights violation.  

Prisoners of war

The Third Geneva Convention, of which Russia is a party, clearly outlines that prisoners of war must be humanely treated. It also specifies that impartial relief organizations, like the International Committee of the Red Cross, should be granted access to prisoners of war to examine their conditions.    

Despite this, Russia has denied access to Ukrainian prisoners of war throughout the conflict. We’ve received reports of widespread subjection of Ukrainian prisoners of war to torture and ill-treatment, including summary executions, beatings and electrocutions.   

Older people in Ukraine

Russia’s invasion impacts every Ukrainian. But some people face intersecting challenges which make surviving the realities of war an even more daunting task. Older people in Ukraine face even more risks during emergency situations due to health issues, financial insecurity, mobility issues etc.  

These compounding factors make older people’s experience of displacement and access to housing even more challenging. It is harder for them to leave their homes, either due to their mobility or because they can’t afford to find housing elsewhere.  

Ukrainian authorities make efforts to relocate and house older people to keep them safe, but need more support from the international community to ensure that older people can access their human rights.  

What is Amnesty International doing to help?

Russian authorities are desperate to evade justice for the crimes they’ve committed in Ukraine.

We won’t let them.  

We’re committed to uncovering and documenting evidence of human rights violations and crimes under international law in Ukraine. Our researchers are on the ground, speaking to people about how they’ve been impacted by the war. We also use remote research methods like analysis of satellite imagery to uncover the truth. Once collected, our research seeks to highlight the harms suffered by victims and survivors and draw attention to their human rights. We are committed to identifying those who commit crimes under international law and to bringing individual perpetrators to justice.  

We’re also calling on the international community to look beyond the politics and prioritize the safety and human rights of civilians. With your help, we can work towards a path of justice and reparations for Ukraine.