Interactive dialogue in the Third Committee (UNGA 79th session) with Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine Mr. Eric Mose (29 October 2024)

Chair,

Ukraine expresses its gratitude to the Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry for today's briefing and extends sincere thanks to the Commission for its invaluable work in promoting accountability and justice. We remain fully committed to close collaboration with the Commission to address these critical issues.

As the Commission continues its investigations, it uncovers mounting evidence of Russia's gross, widespread and systematic violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.  Many of Russia’s acts amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

For nearly three years, Russia has engaged in unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine, committing egregious abuses with flagrant disregard for human life. Daily, indiscriminate missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns cause the tragic loss of innocent lives and vast destruction.

The Commission's latest report once again confirms, unequivocally, that Russian forces are perpetrating heinous war crimes, including deliberate killings, brutal torture, sexual and gender-based violence, and inhumane treatment of detainees in Russian captivity. The report also highlights intentional killings of prisoners of war and civilians by Russian invaders.

The report reveals that use of torture by Russian authorities against Ukrainian civilians and POWs has been widespread and systematic, as these acts follow consistent patterns across various locations, indicating a coordinated, officially sanctioned policy, and as Commission concluded, such acts amount to crimes against humanity.

 

With tens of thousands of Ukrainians—including POWs, civilians, men, and women—remaining in Russian captivity, it is imperative that we employ every available means to protect and rescue these individuals from the daily horrors they endure.

I would also like to draw your attention to paragraph 69 of the report, which exposes Russia's so-called 'denazification' policy towards Ukraine. This policy is chillingly conveyed in brochures distributed to Russian soldiers before or during their deployment to Ukraine, with the message, 'Someday, after denazification, they will become Russians again, but for now they are enemies.' At its core, this rhetoric reduces to a slogan: 'make Ukrainians Russians again.' Such a policy is a deeply troubling expression of imperialistic chauvinism, mirroring the very Nazi-like ideology it claims to denounce.

Chair,

Restoration of justice and release of all Ukrainians unlawfully and forcefully captured by Russia are the key points of President Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula, aimed at achieving just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

Ukraine is steadfast in its commitment to holding Russia accountable for all the crimes it has committed, and we call upon all partners to intensify their efforts to ensure accountabilities for all the perpetrators and their commanders.

The Commission's activities in investigating, documenting, and establishing the facts and circumstances of violations and abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law committed by the Russian Federation during its ongoing invasion of Ukraine play a crucial role in these endeavors. Therefore, we call for ensuring adequate funding for the Commission.

We urge you to continue your efforts, paying particular attention to the deliberate, large-scale attacks on critical civilian infrastructure, including power generation facilities, as well as educational and medical institutions, and to ensure their proper legal classification.
My questions are as follows: In your view, how can coordinated actions by UN member states facilitate immediate and unhindered access for humanitarian organizations and human rights mechanisms to Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians held in detention on the territory of the Russian Federation and in temporarily occupied areas?

Additionally, what actions can be pursued to uncover the truth surrounding the sudden death of journalist Viktoria Roshchyna in Russian captivity? We demand the immediate return of her body.

Thank you.