Second Interim Report on reported violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in Ukraine
Source: OSCE
Following the military attack launched by the Russian Federation in Ukraine on 24 February, the ongoing war continues to have a devastating impact on civilians, with the United Nations verifying over 16,000 civilian casualties in the country of which almost 6,000 have died, and assessing that the actual numbers are considerably higher. The conflict also continues to raise significant concerns about the respect and implementation of international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL), while shaking the European security order and the international legal framework — including the core principles of the Helsinki Final Act of 1975. In line with its monitoring mandate, and following the launch of its First Interim Report in July 2022, ODIHR continues its Ukraine Monitoring Initiative, monitoring and documenting the most serious violations of IHL and IHRL affecting the lives of civilians and prisoners of war taking place as a result of this armed conflict. In line with its established monitoring methodology, for this Second Interim Report, ODIHR has continued to collect information through desk research, including using open-source investigation techniques to verify digital evidence, and has, to date, conducted 120 in-person interviews in Ukraine and in Estonia with witnesses and survivors of alleged violations. In doing so, ODIHR continues to demonstrate its ability and commitment to adapt to the challenging situation and implement its mandate. This Second Interim Report provides an updated assessment of ODIHR’s monitoring for violations of IHL and IHRL by focusing on events that occurred between 1 July and 1 November 2022. Largely confirming the findings of the First Interim Report, this latest update finds credible evidence that the conduct of hostilities by the Russian Federation has continued to be characterized by a general disregard for the basic principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions set out by IHL, which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, and which has led to tremendous loss of civilian life and widespread suffering over the course of the conflict. During the reporting period, there have also been some indicators, although much more limited in scope, of IHL violations by the Ukrainian armed forces. To inform its work and findings, ODIHR has continued to request relevant information from both parties to the conflict — a practice that will be repeated as our monitoring work continues. For this Second Interim Report, I also wish to renew my thanks to the survivors and witnesses who agreed to be interviewed and share their experiences and testimonies, all the civil society organizations and human rights defenders who helped and continue to help ODIHR with fulfilling its important mandate, as well as all ODIHR staff for all their hard work.
Matteo Mecacci,
ODIHR Director.
View the document ➚
Following the military attack launched by the Russian Federation in Ukraine on 24 February, the ongoing war continues to have a devastating impact on civilians, with the United Nations verifying over 16,000 civilian casualties in the country of which almost 6,000 have died, and assessing that the actual numbers are considerably higher. The conflict also continues to raise significant concerns about the respect and implementation of international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL), while shaking the European security order and the international legal framework — including the core principles of the Helsinki Final Act of 1975. In line with its monitoring mandate, and following the launch of its First Interim Report in July 2022, ODIHR continues its Ukraine Monitoring Initiative, monitoring and documenting the most serious violations of IHL and IHRL affecting the lives of civilians and prisoners of war taking place as a result of this armed conflict. In line with its established monitoring methodology, for this Second Interim Report, ODIHR has continued to collect information through desk research, including using open-source investigation techniques to verify digital evidence, and has, to date, conducted 120 in-person interviews in Ukraine and in Estonia with witnesses and survivors of alleged violations. In doing so, ODIHR continues to demonstrate its ability and commitment to adapt to the challenging situation and implement its mandate. This Second Interim Report provides an updated assessment of ODIHR’s monitoring for violations of IHL and IHRL by focusing on events that occurred between 1 July and 1 November 2022. Largely confirming the findings of the First Interim Report, this latest update finds credible evidence that the conduct of hostilities by the Russian Federation has continued to be characterized by a general disregard for the basic principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions set out by IHL, which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, and which has led to tremendous loss of civilian life and widespread suffering over the course of the conflict. During the reporting period, there have also been some indicators, although much more limited in scope, of IHL violations by the Ukrainian armed forces. To inform its work and findings, ODIHR has continued to request relevant information from both parties to the conflict — a practice that will be repeated as our monitoring work continues. For this Second Interim Report, I also wish to renew my thanks to the survivors and witnesses who agreed to be interviewed and share their experiences and testimonies, all the civil society organizations and human rights defenders who helped and continue to help ODIHR with fulfilling its important mandate, as well as all ODIHR staff for all their hard work.
Matteo Mecacci,
ODIHR Director.
View the document ➚