Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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March 11, 2026 International law
Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine presented her new report During the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council, it stated that the commission continued its investigation into the deportation of Ukrainian children by Russian authorities to the Russian Federation or to occupied areas of Ukraine.
Deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia
"The overwhelming evidence of the deportation and displacement of a total of 1,205 children from five regions of Ukraine, as reviewed by the commission, led it to conclude that these actions constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes of deportation and forced displacement of children," the report states.
The report's authors assert that Russian authorities systematically failed to inform their parents or legal guardians of the children's whereabouts and obstructed their return. Instead of creating a system to facilitate the return of children, the authorities sought to place them long-term with families or appropriate institutions in the Russian Federation.
"Throughout 2022, Russian authorities stated that adoption was the preferred placement option for these children. Therefore, the Commission also concluded that Russian authorities committed a crime against humanity by forcibly disappearing children deported or displaced from Ukraine, and a war crime by unjustifiably delaying their repatriation," the report states.
According to the commission, 80 percent of children have not yet returned from Russia, while others have encountered obstacles and delays. Many parents and legal guardians remain unaware of the fate and whereabouts of their children and continue to search for them, the report's authors report.
Lawsuits against Ukrainians
The commission also investigated the conduct of trials in the Russian Federation and the territories of Ukraine it occupied. Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war were primarily accused of terrorism, espionage, and the violent seizure of power.
"The Commission found that these courts deprived the accused of the fundamental guarantees of a fair trial and thereby committed serious violations of international humanitarian law that constitute war crimes," the report said.
"Russian authorities systematically used evidence fabricated or obtained through torture or ill-treatment to incriminate defendants," the report's authors say.
According to them, the courts did not respect fair trial guarantees and handed down predetermined sentences.
Brutal Punishments in the Russian Armed Forces
The commission investigated the circumstances surrounding the recruitment of citizens from 17 countries to fight on the side of the Russian armed forces.
"Many of them were deceived and lured from abroad with promises of civilian work or other favorable conditions. They were forced to sign contracts written in Russian, a language they didn't understand, and sent on dangerous missions to the front lines," the report states.
The commission also interviewed 85 soldiers who served in the Russian armed forces and subsequently deserted. Most of them described brutal methods used by their commanders. Specifically, punishments such as execution on the spot, beatings, and confinement in a pit were used for refusing to participate in military operations that would have led to certain death, or for retreating from the front lines due to injury or a lack of supplies, the report states.
"These testimonies demonstrate a complete disregard for human life and dignity and indicate that the use of violence against subordinates is a widespread and systematic phenomenon in the Russian armed forces," the report's authors write.
Violations by Ukrainian authorities
The commission members also noted that the overly broad definition of the crime of "collaboration activity" in the Ukrainian criminal code has led to widespread legal uncertainty. According to the report's authors, activities that do not pose a threat to national security can also be interpreted as this crime.
The commission documented violations reported during mobilization into the Ukrainian Armed Forces. These included unlawful administrative detention, lack of access to legal counsel, and hasty examinations by military medical commissions that ignored potential medical problems.
"There have been cases of violence against conscientious objectors, who were forcibly taken to recruiting stations and military units despite their expressed willingness to perform alternative civilian service," the report states.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.