The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Tuesday welcomed 44th periodic report of Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on human rights situation and attacks on energy infrastructure of Ukraine, and thanked for work on documenting violations of humanitarian and international human rights law.
"Particular attention is drawn to conclusions regarding systematic and large-scale Russian attacks on energy infrastructure of Ukraine. OHCHR clearly states that nature, scale, and geography of these strikes indicate their focus not on achieving specific military goals, but on disabling energy system of Ukraine as whole," statement on ministry’s website says.
Ministry noted that report convincingly demonstrates that Russian attacks on energy, transport, and port infrastructure directly deprive Ukrainians of access to housing, electricity, water supply, medical care, and education.
In general, OHCHR recorded trend toward steady increase in number of casualties among civilians and emphasized that during reporting period, significantly more civilians were killed and injured as result of Russian aggression than in any similar period of any year since beginning of full-scale invasion by Russia, with exception of 2022.
Concerns are also raised by OHCHR-documented violations by Russia of international humanitarian law against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians illegally detained by Russia. "Report records further increase in cases of executions of Ukrainian servicemen, death of Ukrainian prisoners of war in places of detention, as well as systematic use of torture and ill-treatment against virtually all Ukrainian prisoners," MFA stresses.
In addition, conclusions regarding ongoing systemic human rights violations in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine are alarming: forced mobilization, persecution for pro-Ukrainian stance, suppression of freedom of expression, as well as militarization of Ukrainian children through imposition of military-patriotic education and involvement in activities of Russian paramilitary youth organizations.
MFA emphasized that conclusions of OHCHR report once again confirm systemic nature of violations of international law by Russia and provide additional evidence to hold Russia accountable.
"We call on international community to continue to strengthen political, diplomatic, and sanction pressure on Russia, strengthen support for Ukraine in protecting civilian population and critical infrastructure, facilitate release of all illegally detained Ukrainian citizens, as well as ensure inevitability of accountability for war crimes and other serious violations of international law committed by Russia," MFA said.
