Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, stated in a recent interview with Russian state-owned RIA news agency that over 200 members of Ukrainian armed groups have been given long-term prison sentences by Russian courts for alleged crimes. His comments come as part of a broader response to inquiries into the alleged misdemeanors of Ukraine.
Russian law enforcement authorities, according to Lavrov, have been diligently recording alleged “atrocities” committed by Ukrainian neo-Nazis. These alleged crimes can be traced back to 2014. Lavrov continued with these statements:
” The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation is conducting investigations into various violations of the Civil Code. According to the Investigative Committee’s data, more than 4,000 criminal cases have been initiated against around 900 individuals. This includes not only members of radical neo-Nazi associations, Ukrainian security services and mercenaries but also members of Ukraine’s military and political leadership… The remaining criminals will face the same fate and will be held accountable.”
The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, and has been criticized as a violation of the UN Charter and international criminal law. Additionally, the incursion has prompted abundant human rights and displacement crises. Reports indicate the Russian authorities have allegedly forcibly transferred and deported civilians from occupied areas of Ukraine.
In 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Putin’s commissioner for children’s rights, for alleged war crimes, including the forced deportation of children. However, Russian authorities have categorically denied these allegations.
The United Nations released a report in October 2023, which found evidence of war crimes and human rights violations, including torture, rape, and child deportation committed by Russian authorities in Ukraine. The report has drawn attention to the systematic use of torture in detention facilities, causing severe mental and physical health problems for the victims.
Subsequently, the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reported in November 2023 that at least 10,000 civilians were killed, and over 18,500 were injured since the invasion began. They warned that the true figures could be higher. In December 2023, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk criticized Russia for its “extensive failure” to protect the safety and human rights of civilians in Ukraine.
You can read the full report at Jurist News.