Since the onset of the full-scale war, the UN has established an independent international commission to investigate violations in Ukraine. Experts are gathering data on war crimes committed by the occupiers since February 24, 2022. This group includes international commissioners, lawyers, legal analysts, and professional human rights investigators. One of their tasks is to transmit information to the International Criminal Court (ICC) or courts in other countries that apply the principle of universal jurisdiction. Additionally, the commissioners publish reports and present their findings to the UN General Assembly.

From May to August 2024, the commission will conduct another round of information gathering on crimes committed in our country. Victims and witnesses of Russian violations in Ukraine are urged to report these incidents. Time is limited, as specialists need to process the information and prepare a report for the UN. This report will serve as further evidence of Russia's crimes in Ukraine and help expedite the prosecution of the aggressor.

It is essential to share information with the commission, even if Ukrainian law enforcement is already aware of these crimes. Investigators will independently determine whether a particular case meets the commission's requirements. The organization mainly considers:

• Cases of illegal treatment of prisoners of war.
• Unlawful actions against civilians: torture, violence, abductions, deprivation of liberty, especially information about the organizers and composition of the occupying security forces.
• Attacks on energy-generating facilities and the impact of these attacks on health and education sectors.
• Attacks using powerful explosive weapons in densely populated areas.

How to Report Crimes

Send a statement indicating you have information about a crime to the email address ohchr-submission-coiukraine@un.org. The investigator will receive the email and send you a special link to submit the necessary materials, such as photos or documents. Subsequently, the parties will agree on a secure information transfer method.

You can also meet with commission representatives to report the crimes. The necessary contacts are available on the social media channels of UN departments, which typically publish such information before the commissioners visit Ukraine.

Investigators may independently contact victims or witnesses. They obtain information on whom to contact through news reports, human rights organizations, and local authorities.

The commission protects data on victims and witnesses. Personal information is disclosed only with the consent of the applicants.

Stay updated on the commission's website with the "Call for submissions" section.