Independent International Commission of the United Nations mission arrived in Ukraine to investigate crimes related to russian aggression

Informatiion Department
Published on 12 June 2022, at 10:39

The three Commissioners are taking part in the mission Erik Mose (Chairperson), Jasminka Dzumhur and Pablo de Greiff.

Deputy Chairwoman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Olena Kondratiuk held a working meeting.

The Deputy Speaker assured the UN Independent International Commission that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine will contribute to the successful work of the mission. Parties also discussed the work of the Commission in Ukraine, established to record violations of human rights, international humanitarian law, and other crimes related to russian aggression.

The main task is to identify the suspects, gather evidence, and prepare materials, so no one escapes punishment.

"Assured our colleagues of the importance of the work of the Commission and the support of its activities by the Parliament of Ukraine. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine attaches great importance to the work of the UN Independent International Commission. The Parliament is ready to support its activities fully," Olena Kondratiuk stressed.

The Deputy Speaker of the Parliament emphasized that in addition to the crime of aggression, russia is committing numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine, which testify to the genocide of the Ukrainian people.

"Our law enforcement agencies are investigating more than 16,000 war crimes and crimes of aggression committed since February 24, 2022, including more than 5,000 murders and 6,000 civilian injuries. Unfortunately, these figures are growing every day,” said Olena Kondratiuk, adding that at the same time, a separate investigation is being conducted into the crime of genocide.

"We are also grateful to the International Criminal Court, which is conducting its own full-fledged investigation at the request of 42 countries. There are joint investigative and advisory groups that help in the investigation of russian war crimes in Ukraine," said the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine.

Olena Kondratiuk stressed that Ukraine appreciates the position of all international partners who have joined and opened their own proceedings on numerous crimes of russia in Ukraine:

“Just punishment of those who gave orders and committed atrocities against our citizens must be inevitable. This is a common task of the whole civilized world. We expect the UN Commission to investigate all these crimes and give them a clear assessment."

In turn, the Commission noted that they were instructed to conduct, under international standards, a separate investigation into violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions in late February and March 2022.

Also, during the meeting, the Chairperson of the Commission informed about the Commissioners' work for the Collection of Facts on Crimes Committed to present information to the UN Human Rights Council and report to the UN General Assembly at its 77th session.

"In addition, I drew the attention of the UN Commission that its activities should cover not only current events but their root causes. I called on the mission to study the facts and crimes of the russian federation that had occurred in previous years. In particular, in the temporarily occupied Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions, where they have taken place over the past eight years," Olena Kondratiuk summed up.