The United Nations (UN) has documented numerous cases of sexualized violence against Ukrainians by Russian soldiers, according to the annual report of UN Secretary-General António Guterres to the Security Council on conflict-related sexual violence.
According to “credible information,” the report states, there are widespread violations “by the Russian armed forces and security services and associated armed groups,” primarily targeting Ukrainian prisoners of war held in 50 official and 22 unofficial detention sites in Ukraine and Russia.
“These cases included a significant number of documented acts of sexual violence, including electric shocks, beatings, and genital burns, as well as forced nudity and prolonged exposure in a naked state, used to humiliate and extract confessions or information,” Guterres wrote.
He also expressed being “deeply concerned” about reports of violence by Russian soldiers against Ukrainians and emphasized that he has formally raised these actions with Russia. Guterres warned that next year, Russia could be listed among parties “reasonably suspected of committing rape or other forms of sexual violence or responsible for them.” He issued a similar warning to Israel.
The Russian mission to the UN in New York did not respond to journalists’ requests for comment on Guterres’ report. The UN Secretary-General noted that Russian authorities have not engaged with his special envoy on these matters.
The 2024 UN report highlighted that 95% of Ukrainian prisoners of war released from Russian captivity were regularly subjected to torture. Methods reported by servicemen included beatings, electric shocks, suffocation, sexual violence, prolonged painful positions, mock executions, drowning, sleep deprivation, and other forms of torture.
In July, more than 40 OSCE member states called for an independent investigation into Russia’s mistreatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war, according to Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp.
