Systematic cases of torture by Russians may amount to crimes against humanity, and the delay in the repatriation of civilians may be equated to a war crime, according to a new report by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine.

“The Commission established a pattern of widespread unlawful confinement in areas controlled by Russian armed forces, targeting broad categories of men, women and children. Confinement in dedicated facilities across Ukraine and in the Russian Federation was accompanied by consistent methods of torture against certain categories of persons by Russian authorities,” according to the report presented at a press conference on Thursday.

According to the Commission, such systematic cases of torture may amount to crimes against humanity and should be investigated further.

The report also states that the situations considered by the commission and related to the displacement and deportation of children constitute war crimes.

“While looking into transfers of children from Ukraine to the Russian Federation, the Commission found, with concern, that violations of human rights and international humanitarian law have been committed,” the commission notes.

Witnesses told the commission that many of the displaced young children were unable to establish contact with their families and may subsequently lose contact with them indefinitely.

“Delay in the repatriation of civilians may also amount to a war crime,” the report reads.

The Commission recommends that all violations and crimes be investigated and those responsible brought to justice at both the national and international levels.

To prepare the report, the commission visited 56 localities and asked for 348 women and 247 men. The commission's investigators inspected the places of destruction, burials, places of detention and torture, as well as the remains of weapons, having familiarized themselves with a large number of documents and reports.