During the week of June 13-18th, a work field trip was carried out by representatives of Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (West Support) to the Kharkiv region Ukraine in order to record violations of international humanitarian and human rights. The representatives of the mission worked in dangerous conditions for the purpose of carrying out necessary responsibilities, in order to voluntarily aid all of the victims of the War in Ukraine namely in such settlements as: Zircons, Cherkasy Tyshky, Rusky Tyshky, Molodova, Staryi Saltiv, Nove, Lisne.
As a result, of the mission in Kharkiv and Kyiv regions 1435 international humanitarian law violations were discovered, including 1247 civilians murders, 115 abductions, 52 tortures, and 21 rapes. Unfortunately, human rights violations were recorded not only against the adults, but also against children. Mission officers together with UNICEF representatives recorded all of the cases.
All facts were recorded in questionnaires in accordance with the international standard for further processing and formatting for the purpose of referral to the International Criminal Court. It is important to note that since February 24, 2022, 692 civilians have died in the Kharkiv region alone, including 45 children, 1,011 people have been injured, including 123 children.
It should be noted that many violations have characteristic systemic features. The most common is the plot in which, during the occupation of a settlement, the military or representatives of special services who are part of the occupying forces, using torture applied to the civilian population, receive information about veterans living in the settlement and former law enforcement officers.
After identifying such people, they are detained, collected in one place and tortured to obtain information. During these tortures, many victims die! The surviving victims are sent to the rear of the occupied territories for further imprisonment. Victims do not have access to the necessary medical care, They often go hungry and endure systemic humiliation and beatings!
The second most common is the plot in which the military occupation forces, after the capture of the settlement, are placed in the homes of the civilian population, and women are forbidden to evacuate! After that, the women are forced to cook and wash clothes for the soldiers of the occupying forces! In addition, these women are sexually abused! Numerous cases of sexual abuse by several military personnel at the same time have been identified!
A special monitoring mission operates throughout the territory of Ukraine, mainly in the 4 main regions affected by the occupation, and in the territories where victims of crimes are temporarily resettled! Professional psychologists, doctors and investigators are part of international crime victim teams!
The Special Monitoring Mission in the course of its work cooperates with UNICEF, representatives of the Office of the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights and representatives of law enforcement agencies!
