Russia’s war in Ukraine has exacted a terrible human cost and inflicted suffering on millions, the United Nations rights chief said Thursday, ahead of the second anniversary of the invasion.
The damage caused by the war would be felt for generations, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, renewing his call for Moscow to stop the war immediately.
“The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation has exacted a horrific human cost, inflicting immense suffering on millions of civilians,” Mr. Turk said.
Russia invaded its neighbour on February 24, 2022.
“Russia’s full-scale armed attack on Ukraine, which is about to enter its third year with no end in sight, continues to cause serious and widespread human rights violations, destroying lives and livelihoods,” Mr. Turk said.
Mr. Turk called for thorough and independent investigations into all violations in the conflict and said victims should be afforded accountability and reparations.
He said millions of Ukrainians had been displaced, thousands had lost their homes, and hundreds of hospitals and schools had been damaged or destroyed.
“The long-term impact of this war in Ukraine will be felt for generations,” he said.
Mr. Turk’s office said that over the past two years it had documented “widespread torture, ill-treatment and arbitrary detention of civilians by Russian armed forces”.
“Summary executions, enforced disappearances and repression of the right to freedom of expression and assembly have also been documented in occupied territory,” it added.
