The Russians deported at least 1 205 children from Ukraine to the Russian Federation or occupied territories, and regularly held illegal trials of Ukrainian civilians.
This is stated in two reports of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry into Violations in Ukraine.
Deportation of children
In particular, the Russians removed 995 children from 11 institutions of the self-proclaimed “LPR” and “DPR” before the invasion began. The Russian authorities claimed that this was an “evacuation” allegedly justified by a security threat from the Ukrainian government, at a time when the Russian armed forces themselves were drawing troops and military equipment to the Ukrainian borders.
International law allows evacuation only temporarily and for good reason. However, most of the deportations and transfers of children investigated by the commission were not temporary.
On the contrary, Russian authorities at the highest levels of government coordinated actions to ensure the long-term placement of children in the Russian Federation. They were initially transported to temporary transit centers in Russia or in the occupied territories, and then gradually deported to various locations in 21 regions of Russia.
They were transferred to families or institutions for an indefinite period, granted Russian citizenship and entered into databases for adoption or foster families. In some cases, the childrenʼs personal data — name, place of birth or citizenship — was changed, which violates international humanitarian law and complicates their return to their families.
In particular, an 11-month-old girl from an orphanage in Kherson had her name and place of birth changed after she was adopted by a close associate of Putin, the head of the "A Just Russia" faction in the State Duma Sergei Mironov.
The commission also documented cases where children were separated from siblings or other relatives, and some were given to the families of Russian soldiers (such as a 7-year-old boy from a Donetsk orphanage). He was adopted by a soldier fighting against Ukraine and his wife, who heads the regional committee of military families.
After four years of war, 80% of deported children have still not returned. In most cases, Russian authorities did not inform parents of their children’s whereabouts or set up a system for their return. Families were forced to search for their children on their own.
The Commission believes that the deportations were massive and systematic, and were carried out according to a pre-prepared plan at the highest level of the Russian government. Therefore, these actions can be considered not only a war crime, but also a crime against humanity.
Illegal trials of Ukrainians
The commission analyzed dozens of trials in Russian courts and "courts" in the occupied territories. These involved 68 civilians and 60 Ukrainian prisoners of war. Most of them were sentenced to 8–25 years or life imprisonment.
The commission found that these courts massively violate the right to a fair trial. People are tried under Russian law for events in the occupied territories, are often deported to Russia, and are forced to confess under pressure.
Investigators routinely fabricate evidence. According to testimonies, the accused are tortured, threatened, or forced to sign the necessary documents. Some of this material is then used in courts and distributed in pro-Russian media.
Among the defendants were people aged 18 to 74, as well as three 16-year-old boys and a 17-year-old girl. The majority were men. They often persecuted employees of ZNPP, former participants in ATO, relatives of military personnel, and fighters of individual units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Many trials have a predetermined outcome: judges ignore defense arguments, and hearings are sometimes held behind closed doors. Ukrainian military personnel are also punished simply for serving in their units, including in “Azov”.
The Commission concluded that such trials have serious consequences for the accused and their families. Long terms of imprisonment, torture, disappearances and deportations cause severe physical and psychological trauma. Some convicts return home only during prisoner exchanges, but most families live in uncertainty for years.
Sexual violence
The UN Commission investigated cases of sexual and gender-based violence that occurred in the occupied territories in Chernihiv, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions.
According to the commission, Russian soldiers committed sexual violence against women, girls, men, and prisoners of war. The crimes occurred during searches of homes, in occupied villages, or in places of detention. The victims ranged in age from 13 to 52.
One of the cases occurred in April 2022 in the Kherson region. Russian military twice detained a 26-year-old former Ukrainian Army contractor, tortured him, beat him, simulated a shooting, strangled him, and sexually assaulted him. The man suffered serious injuries and underwent surgery.
Another case occurred in November 2022 in the Mykolaiv region. Russian soldiers kidnapped two girls, ages 13 and 15, held them in an apartment for three days, forced them to drink alcohol, and raped them.
The commission found that in most cases the attackers were Russian military personnel. Some were identified by name, unit, and call sign. However, the commission is not aware of any legal cases in Russia regarding these crimes.
The victims suffered serious physical trauma and psychological consequences, including depression and suicidal thoughts. Some were forced to move due to fear and stigma, while others were left without housing, medical or psychological care.
Russiaʼs recruitment of foreigners for war
The commission investigated the recruitment of citizens from 16 countries who were either voluntarily or fraudulently forced to fight for Russia in Ukraine. Most had no military experience and did not speak Russian.
After a short training period (from one week to a month), they were sent to the front on very dangerous missions. Some were recruited into the army after promises of civilian work or after serving time in prison.
During their service, soldiers were subjected to cruel treatment: they were beaten, forced to go on "meat assaults" without training or weapons, tortured for refusing to fight or attempting to desert. Soldiers were kept in basements, pits, and containers without food, water, or hygiene, tied to trees, threatened, and extorted money.
The commission concluded that violence in the Russian Armed Forces is systemic and widespread, with a complete disregard for the lives and dignity of soldiers, creating a culture of violence that also affects civilians.
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