In the occupied territories of Ukraine, Russian military forces are engaging in torture, killings, and unlawful imprisonments, as reported by Eric Messe, the head of the Commission for the Investigation of Crimes Committed during Russia's invasion.
During his address to the members of the UN Security Council, Messe emphasized,
"These reports, based on numerous missions to Ukraine and other testimonies, demonstrate that the Russian authorities have committed a wide range of violations, many of which constitute war crimes."
Messe stated that these violations include "intentional killings, attacks on civilians, unlawful detention, torture, rape, and sexual violence, as well as the forced displacement and deportation of children." Among other violations, he mentioned the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, including attacks on energy infrastructure facilities.
Recent investigations by the commission "confirmed previous findings that the use of torture by the Russian authorities in detention facilities located in Ukraine and the Russian Federation is widespread and systematic," noted Messe.
He stated that the commission is currently conducting a more detailed examination of the impact on the civilian population of attacks on the energy infrastructure initiated by Russian armed forces on October 10, 2022.
"With regard to both the use of torture and attacks on energy infrastructure, we continue our investigations to determine whether they constitute crimes against humanity," Messe emphasized.
According to the Office of the Prosecutor General, law enforcement agencies are currently investigating over 111,000 war crimes, with more than 107,000 of them falling under the category of violations of the laws and customs of war.
Despite numerous pieces of evidence and testimonies, Russia continues to deny the war crimes committed by its military during the war against Ukraine.
