Russia is deliberately committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine — cynically, systematically, and on a massive scale. Since the start of the full-scale invasion alone, over 183,000 crimes committed by Russian forces have been documented, according to the Prosecutor General’s Office. The number of crimes committed in temporarily occupied territories remains unknown. These crimes include: the persecution of Crimean Tatars and religious communities; torture, inhuman treatment, and enforced disappearances; sexual violence; forced passportization and conscription into the Russian military; the deportation of children; the killing of civilians; and the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure. Law enforcement agencies, foreign experts, journalists, and Ukrainian and international human rights organisations are working to gather evidence and investigate these numerous and egregious violations of international law committed by the aggressor state.

Now, due to the US administration’s decision to cut foreign funding, international efforts to document Russian war crimes and hold perpetrators accountable are under threat — several key initiatives have already ceased operations. What consequences might this have, and how could it impact the pursuit of justice? What does the current landscape of Russian war crimes look like? Does Ukraine have the capacity and expertise to handle the full scale of documentation independently? And more broadly, how can the effectiveness of this process be preserved?

Speakers:
Olha Skrypnyk, Chair of the Crimean Human Rights Group
Veronika Velch, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ukraine
Maryna Slobodianiuk, Coordinator of the Training Centre at Truth Hounds, war crimes documenter