UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine: the Russian military’s actions amount to two crimes against humanity
According to the UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, the Russian military’s actions constitute two crimes against humanity: the killing and forced displacement of civilians, and the deportation and transfer of people from occupied areas, some of whom were subjected to torture.
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine was established by the United Nations Human Rights Council on 4 March 2022, pursuant to Resolution 49/1. Its mandate is to investigate all alleged violations and abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law arising from the ongoing conflict following the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine. The Commission’s mandate has been renewed several times, most recently in April 2025, enabling it to continue its investigations and regularly report its findings to both the Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly.
Since June 2024, Russian forces have carried out repeated drone attacks in Kherson and other territories under Ukrainian control. The Commission documented nearly 300 publicly available videos of strikes, corroborated by satellite imagery, local testimonies, and social media datasets. The patterns observed indicate that the attacks were not random: they were executed in a systematic, premeditated fashion, consistent with a coordinated state policy. The inquiry assessed that these attacks targeted civilians, women, men, and children, while they conducted normal daily activities, as well as emergency services such as ambulances responding to earlier strikes. In several instances, medical vehicles were struck, impeding rescue operations and compounding casualties.
The Commission identified at least 150 civilian deaths linked to these drone operations, with many more injured. The affected locations extend beyond Kherson to 16 communities under threat. The human toll includes not only loss of life, but also destruction of homes, disruption of essential services, and widespread fear among the population. Because of the sustained intensity of attacks and damage to infrastructure, many residents felt compelled to flee. The report holds that these displacements cannot be rendered as voluntary; rather, they bear the hallmarks of coercion.