The UN has released a new report on human rights in Ukraine, covering the period from December 2024 to May 2025. The document records a rise in civilian casualties, large-scale violations by Russia in occupied territories—including torture, extrajudicial executions, deportations, and forced passportization—as well as isolated violations by Ukraine, ranging from prosecutions for collaboration to mistreatment of military draft objectors.
Civilians Are Becoming the Primary Targets of Wide-Area Weapons
From December 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025, 968 civilians were killed and another 4,807 injured in Ukraine. This marks a 37% increase compared to the same period the previous year. Nearly all casualties—95%—occurred in government-controlled areas. Most incidents were linked to the Russian military’s use of wide-impact explosive weapons in urban zones and the growing number of short-range drone attacks.
Among the dead were 22 healthcare workers, 9 humanitarian personnel, and 24 emergency responders. More than half of all casualties were men (3,108 injured), but the toll also included 2,363 women, 167 boys, and 137 girls.
Of particular concern is the use of high-explosive and cluster munitions in densely populated areas. On April 4, 2025, a Russian ballistic missile with a fragmentation warhead detonated mid-air over a park, playground, and restaurant in Kryvyi Rih. Twenty people were killed, including nine children. Another 63 were wounded. According to OHCHR, there were no military targets in the area at the time of the strike.
A similar incident occurred on April 13 in central Sumy, when two ballistic missiles struck a university building and a busy street. The attack happened during a religious holiday, when many people were outside. Thirty-one people were killed, and 105 injured. The UN human rights office determined that most victims were passersby, bus passengers, or those trying to help the wounded after the first strike.
Short-range drones pose an equally grave threat. According to the report, they were responsible for the deaths of 207 civilians and injuries to 1,365 others. Between December and February, drone attacks caused more casualties than any other type of weapon. The deadliest incident occurred on April 23, when a drone dropped an explosive on a bus carrying mining company workers in Marhanets. Ten people were killed, and 57 were injured.
OHCHR notes that drone operators using real-time video transmission either failed to make efforts to identify military targets or deliberately targeted civilians—in the latter case, this could constitute a war crime.
Medical facilities also remain under threat. During the reporting period, the Russian military attacked functioning hospitals at least five times. In one instance, on December 10 in Zaporizhzhia, a strike hit a building housing two private clinics, killing 11 people, including four medical workers. On December 20, an oncology center and hospital were damaged in Kherson. Repeated strikes on facilities in Kharkiv and Sumy regions suggest a deliberate pattern.
There were also 115 recorded strikes on energy infrastructure, mostly targeting gas networks. These included four large-scale, coordinated attacks in December, January, and March. Since spring 2025, the strikes have become more targeted—for example, in March, infrastructure in Odesa region was attacked for five consecutive days.
Both Sides Violate the Conventions, but the Scale Is Vastly Unequal
During the conflict, both sides continued to violate the rights of prisoners of war, though the nature and scale of the abuses differed. OHCHR documented systematic executions, torture, and sexual violence against Ukrainian prisoners by the Russian Federation. At the same time, there were recorded instances of mistreatment and unofficial detention of Russian and foreign fighters held by Ukraine.
Since August 2024, the number of extrajudicial executions of Ukrainian servicemembers in Russian captivity has sharply increased. At least 106 individuals were executed by firing squad, 35 of them during the current reporting period. Most of these killings occurred in areas of active Russian offensives in Donetsk and Kursk regions. Some incidents were captured on video and shared in pro-Russian Telegram channels, including footage of six prisoners being executed. OHCHR has verified the authenticity of these materials.
A total of 117 former Ukrainian prisoners, including two medics, gave detailed accounts of torture—including electric shocks, dog attacks, sexual violence, and humiliation. Nearly all had been in captivity for more than two years. While the intensity of abuse declined somewhat in 2024 following the transfer of prisoners from penal colonies in occupied territories to detention centers in Russia, many reported brutal “intake procedures” involving beatings and denial of medical care. During the reporting period, five Ukrainian prisoners were confirmed to have died from torture or conditions in detention, bringing the total since the start of the full-scale invasion to at least 26.
In violation of international humanitarian law, Russia continues to prosecute Ukrainian prisoners of war. During the reporting period alone, at least 125 individuals were convicted of “terrorism” for actions that, under the laws of armed conflict, are considered lawful—such as observing troop movements, engaging in combat, or carrying weapons.
Violations were also recorded on the Ukrainian side. Of the 95 prisoners interviewed by OHCHR—including 21 foreign nationals—59 reported having been subjected to torture or abuse, particularly during capture and transport to official detention facilities. Beatings, suffocation, mock executions, and sexual violence were among the most common abuses, with most incidents occurring in unofficial locations near Kyiv. Some prisoners were held in complete isolation for up to 14 months, receiving little food or water, which led to weight loss and dental issues.
Additionally, the report documents instances of prisoners being publicly displayed in Ukrainian media and on social networks—including Chinese and North Korean nationals—which violates the Third Geneva Convention’s prohibition against exposing prisoners of war. Some detainees said they feared returning home, citing the risk of persecution by their own governments.
Recruitment of Children for Sabotage Is Reaching a New Level
Since late 2024, the UN Human Rights Office has observed a troubling increase in cases where children in Ukraine are being recruited to carry out sabotage and subversive acts. Unidentified individuals—apparently acting on behalf of the Russian Federation—have contacted teenagers via social media, offering money in exchange for arson, planting explosive devices, or monitoring Ukrainian military activity. These actions not only violate international law but have also resulted in the deaths of both the minors involved and others nearby.
Between December 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025, Ukrainian prosecutors launched criminal proceedings against 95 minors—72 boys and 23 girls. Among them were children who had built improvised explosive devices, participated in arson attacks on vehicles or buildings, or provided coordinates that were later targeted by Russian strikes. In some cases, children were coerced into participating under threats of violence against their family members.
In one case in Odesa region, a 16-year-old girl was told to either set fire to a car belonging to a military enlistment office or deliver explosives to government buildings. When she refused, she began receiving threats against her younger siblings.
Some teenagers were killed or injured while handling explosive devices. According to Ukrainian authorities, during the reporting period, at least two boys were killed and one injured, and seven additional civilians were harmed as a result of sabotage carried out by children. If linked to the conflict, these acts violate international law, which prohibits the use of children in hostilities—even as couriers or scouts.
As of May 31, 2025, 103 minors were in custody. Forty-two had already been convicted, and seven sentenced to prison terms ranging from 3.5 to 10 years. The others received suspended sentences. Under international law, the detention of minors must be a last resort and applied only in exceptional circumstances—taking into account the child’s age, the context of the offense, and the possibility of coercion.
OHCHR visited nine Ukrainian facilities for juvenile detainees and interviewed 18 children. In three cases, courts revised decisions and replaced detention with house arrest following intervention by international bodies. Overall, the conditions in these facilities were deemed satisfactory.
Sexual Torture in Detention Remains Systematic
Sexualized violence continues to be used in the conflict as a method of torture, humiliation, and control—primarily targeting Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians held by the Russian Federation. During the reporting period, the UN Human Rights Office documented 106 new cases of such violence—most of them against men.
Of these, 94 victims were men, 9 were women, and 3 were girls. The violence occurred both in Russian-occupied areas and inside Russian detention facilities. Among the victims were 85 Ukrainian prisoners of war, two medics, and six civilians. Documented abuses included rape, beatings and electric shocks to the genitals, forced nudity, threats of castration, and degrading treatment.
One former Ukrainian POW reported being regularly beaten and tortured while naked from autumn 2022 through summer 2024. When transferred to a new facility in Russia in December 2024, he was again forced to undress, then beaten and subjected to electric shocks.
Some acts were clearly sadistic in nature. In one documented case from September 2023, Russian servicemen raped and castrated a Ukrainian prisoner, then shot him in the anus before executing him.
Women and girls in occupied territories have been assaulted by Russian soldiers in residential areas. Documented cases include gang rapes, sexual threats, and harassment. In one March 2024 incident in Kherson Oblast, two Russian soldiers forced a 17-year-old girl into a vehicle and raped her.
Since the full-scale invasion began, OHCHR has verified 484 cases of sexual violence perpetrated by Russian authorities. Among the victims: 350 men, 119 women, 13 girls, and 2 boys. This includes 52 rape cases, 14 involving multiple perpetrators.
Ukrainian forces likewise face allegations. During the reporting period, 15 new cases of sexual violence against Russian and third-country prisoners of war (all male) were documented, primarily during initial captivity. The most frequent violations involved electrocution of genitals, beatings, and rape threats. One POW described being forced to strip naked in June 2024 before being beaten and subjected to electric shocks on his ears, fingers, nipples, and genitals.
OHCHR data indicates 66 such cases documented since the invasion began—affecting 58 men and 8 women. Two cases constituted attempted rape and direct sexual violence; the remainder involved other forms of humiliation and abuse.
Forced Russification and Denial of Basic Rights in Occupied Regions
In areas of Ukraine occupied by the Russian Federation, systematic violations of international humanitarian law continue. Russian authorities have intensified pressure on local residents to adopt Russian citizenship, depriving those who refuse of access to social services and healthcare. Torture is used, and there is a repressive crackdown on freedom of speech, religion, and private property.
During the reporting period, OHCHR documented 21 cases of arbitrary detention of civilians (14 men, 7 women). Nineteen of them reported torture, including sexual violence, electric shocks, beatings, mock executions, and denial of medical care. One man died in custody, while another was released and later diagnosed with severe heart disease and an improperly healed fracture.
In February 2025, Ukraine received the body of journalist Viktoria Roshchyna, who had gone missing in August 2023 in occupied territory. The Russian side claimed she had died in custody. Ukrainian investigators found evidence of torture. Since the start of the invasion, OHCHR has confirmed the deaths of 32 civilians in Russian detention facilities as a result of torture, lack of medical care, and inhumane conditions.
The forced imposition of citizenship is accompanied by the revocation of access to pensions, healthcare, and property registration for those without a Russian passport. For example, as of January 1, 2025, Russian citizenship is required to receive a pension in the occupied regions. Starting September 10, 2025, under a new decree, all Ukrainians must undergo a “legalization” process, including a test on Russian language, history, and law.
According to Russian authorities, 3.5 million people in occupied territories have already received Russian passports. Many of them, OHCHR notes, did so under duress—to access medical care, secure employment, or retain housing.
At the same time, the seizure of private property has intensified. Over the past six months, more than 16,000 notices of “potentially abandoned property” have been issued—12,000 of them in Mariupol alone. Authorities demand that owners appear in person to confirm ownership, even though access to the occupied territories is possible only via Russia. Some returning residents have been denied entry and issued bans of up to 50 years. Documentation without a Russian passport is not accepted.
Local courts are also applying repressive legal norms to suppress dissent. In Crimea during the reporting period, 311 individuals were convicted for “discrediting the Russian army,” including for social media posts calling for peace talks. Another 50 were convicted for publishing content with Ukrainian symbols. Satellite TV is being restricted, and access to independent media is being curtailed.
Religious communities have also come under repression. In Crimea alone, followers of Jehovah’s Witnesses and Hizb ut-Tahrir were arrested, despite both groups being legal in Ukraine. No communities of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine or Jehovah’s Witnesses are officially registered in the occupied regions.
Russia’s policy in the occupied territories also includes forced mobilization and promotion of “voluntary” enlistment into the army, offering payments of 400,000 rubles (about $5,000). As of April 1, 2025, the spring draft began, targeting residents of occupied areas—an act explicitly prohibited under the Geneva Conventions.
Repression of “Collaborators” and Denial of Conscientious Objection
In territories controlled by the Ukrainian government, prosecutions continue against individuals accused of collaboration and treason. Some of these cases, OHCHR notes, involve actions that could have been lawfully imposed on civilians in occupied areas under international humanitarian law. There is also concern over the Ukrainian authorities’ refusal to recognize the right to conscientious objection to military service.
During the reporting period, the UN Human Rights Office interviewed 56 individuals detained on charges of collaboration or other national security-related offenses. Eleven of them reported torture and threats during arrest or interrogation. Since the beginning of the invasion, OHCHR has documented 170 cases of torture or ill-treatment of conflict-related detainees in government-controlled areas.
Of the 624 people convicted during the reporting period for “collaboration with the occupiers,” OHCHR found that in 51 cases, the acts could fall under duties that, under international law, may be lawfully imposed on civilians (such as street cleaning or working in a hospital). This number continues to decline compared to peak levels in 2022 and 2023.
Of particular concern is the refusal of Ukrainian courts to recognize the right to alternative civilian service. At least 11 men—Jehovah’s Witnesses and Baptists—who refused military service on religious grounds were prosecuted. In April 2025, the Supreme Court of Ukraine upheld a three-year prison sentence for one of them, citing the “scale of the war” as an exception. However, international law does not allow such restrictions: the right to conscientious objection to military service is unconditionally protected.
OHCHR also documented nine cases of torture and ill-treatment of conscientious objectors—beatings, threats of execution, denial of food, and being held with hands bound. One man was subjected to prolonged humiliation and isolation for refusing to wear a military uniform.
Attacks on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) also persist. In Chernivtsi region in April 2025, two cases of violent seizure of UOC churches by members of other denominations were reported. Parishioners were injured in one of the incidents. According to eyewitnesses, the police did not intervene.
Finally, older persons and people with disabilities remain especially vulnerable in frontline areas. In Kherson, according to local authorities, over 50,000 of the 80,000 remaining residents are over the age of 55. They account for 41% of all casualties in active combat zones, despite representing only a quarter of the country’s population. Limited access to evacuation, lack of accessible housing in safer regions, and the risk of lifetime institutionalization make their situation particularly precarious.
Of the 70% of collective shelters for internally displaced persons that lack accommodations for people with disabilities, only one specialized center—in Dnipropetrovsk region—is equipped to provide appropriate care. Many evacuees remain there for up to two months awaiting alternative housing, often due to a lack of proper documentation.
Ukraine Moves Toward a Systematic Compensation Framework for Victims
Amid ongoing human rights violations, Ukrainian authorities are taking steps to establish a national compensation system for those affected by the war. During the reporting period, the Verkhovna Rada adopted three key laws aimed at recording damage, supporting victims’ rehabilitation, and providing financial assistance.
The first—Law No. 3999-IX—formally recognizes the legal status of “children affected by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation,” establishes a registry, and guarantees their right to compensation and social support. The second—No. 4071-IX—provides for a database of moral damages suffered by civilians as a result of the war, including the loss of loved ones, liberty, or bodily integrity. The third—No. 4067-IX—introduces an interim compensation mechanism for survivors of sexual violence, including free medical and psychological care and a one-time financial payment.
In addition, in December 2024, parliament passed amendments to the law on compensation for destroyed housing in occupied areas and combat zones. However, as OHCHR notes, as of May 31, 2025, the law had not yet been signed by the president.
At the international level, the Register of Damage established by the Council of Europe has begun operations. Since March 2025, it has been accepting submissions from victims, including cases involving violations of bodily integrity. Negotiations are also underway to establish an independent commission to review claims and award compensation. However, the Russian Federation has designated the Register as an “undesirable organization,” effectively banning its citizens from engaging with it under threat of up to six years in prison.
Efforts to establish a Special International Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine are also continuing. In March 2025, technical consultations on the tribunal's legal framework were concluded under the auspices of the Council of Europe.
Against this backdrop, OHCHR continues to strengthen national capacities. During the reporting period, its experts conducted training for Ukrainian prosecutors on international humanitarian law, and held joint workshops with the National Police and the Security Service of Ukraine on documenting conflict-related sexual violence. Particular attention was given to protecting children in occupied territories and safeguarding their rights during displacement.
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