Other war crimes

Torture with Electricity and 11 Years of Strict Regime: How Russians Torture and Why They ‘Sentenced’ Serhii Arefiev from Kherson

Despite the Kherson being under occupation from the first days of the full-scale invasion, its residents actively protested against the invaders. Among those abducted was Serhii Arefiev, a mobile communications company employee.

13 August 2024

Ukrainian pilot Oleksandr Morozov is being held at Lefortovo Detention Center. His case has been classified

Russian investigators have classified the case of Ukrainian small aircraft pilot Oleksandr Morozov, who was detained in the Bryansk region. Even the accused's family does not know what is happening in the trial. Oleksandr is being held in the Lefortovo detention center in Moscow. His wife says that her husband was beaten and tortured in custody.

11 July 2024

85 Ukrainians, including two children, became victims of wartime sexual violence last year — UN report

The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine states that it has data on 52 men, 31 women, and two minors who suffered from war-related sexual violence in 2023. These crimes were committed against both civilians and prisoners of war.

24 April 2024

Kherson — Lefortovo — Rostov: The Trial of Kherson Residents Held by Russia for ‘Terrorism’ Has Begun

Serhii Ofitserov, Yurii Kaiov, Serhii Kovalskyi, Kostiantyn Reznik, Serhii Kabakov, Denys Lialka, Serhii Heidt, Oleh Bohdanov, and Yurii Tavozhnianskyi are Kherson civilians abducted by the Russians in the summer of 2022. They are accused of ‘preparing and committing an act of international terrorism.’ Since February 20, 2023, the nine Kherson residents have been held in Detention Center No. 1 in Rostov and are being illegally tried.

3 April 2024

General Lapin’s headquarters: the occupation of Chernihiv Region through the eyes of a local resident

Olena Kovalyova manages the Community Center in Terekhivka. While under occupation, this village served as a temporary home for Russian Colonel General Alexander Lapin, the then commander of the Central Military District of the Russian Federation. MIHR visited Terekhivka to find out what happened there and to document the war crimes committed by the Russian military.

29 January 2024

280 days as a hostage: the ordeal of Olha Cherniak from Kherson, who endured torture and Russian captivity without breaking

Before the full-scale war erupted, Olha Cherniak was living in Kherson with her husband and children. They didn't immediately leave after the city's occupation, as they were caring for their sick parents. However, when they finally dared to leave, Olha, her husband Ihor, and son Stepan were captured by Russians. In captivity, Olha faced months of severe hardship under Russian control but managed to survive and eventually gained her freedom.

31 December 2023

The Russians were already gone: the mysterious disappearance of Irpin resident Oleksandr Synhaievskyi

According to the National Police, as of July 2023, 317 people were reported missing in action during […]

21 December 2023

The UN General Assembly recalled the murder of 16-year-old Tihran Ohannisian

During his speech, Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, said that he had spoken with the deceased boy's mother just before his flight to the United States.

22 September 2023

“World hot spot” on the map of tortures: UN Special Rapporteur Alice Jill Edwards meets with Ukrainian human rights defenders in Kyiv

On Friday, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Alice Jill Edwards, visited the office of the MIHR […]

8 September 2023

Lyubov Smachylo: Russia must immediately release civilian Ukrainians from captivity

The Media Initiative for Human Rights is participating in a conference on Ukrainian women abducted and held in captivity by Russia. The event takes place in Ankara.

29 August 2023