War crimes

Chernihiv Regional Youth Library, partially destroyed by a Russian airstrike on the night of March 11, 2022. © Sceiron

Can Ukraine Prosecute Crimes Against Cultural Heritage?

A lack of provision under Ukrainian law means officials and activists are struggling to make their case in court.

24 Oct 25

A view of a destroyed church which served as a military redoubt for Russian soldiers on April 10, 2022 in Lukashivka village, Ukraine. © Anastasia Vlasova/Getty Images

Ukraine: Torture in Lukashivka

Trial under way for the brutal treatment of POWs in occupied village.

20 Oct 25

The Moscow Mechanism has been triggered five times in relation to alleged Russian crimes since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, most recently concerning the treatment of Ukrainian POWs. Ukrainian prisoners of war get off a coach to return home after spending months in a Russian prison, on May 23, 2025 in Chernihiv, Ukraine. © Paula Bronstein/Getty Images

The Moscow Mechanism: Evidence and Advocacy

OSCE fact-finding missions deemed “crucial” for pursuing Russian accountability.

16 Oct 25

Russian rifleman Dmitrii Kurashov, captured by Ukraine's forces in late January 2024, is accused of a shooting a Ukrainian soldier after he had surrendered in Zaporizhzhia region. © Security Service of Ukraine

Ukraine: “Just Sentence Me”

Russian rifleman has admitted to killing a Ukrainian POW, although he refuses to give evidence.

14 Oct 25

Russian POWs are seen waiting in line to call home to Russia in a prisoner of war detention camp on August 3, 2023 in the Lviv region, Ukraine. Hundreds of captured Russian POWs including conscripts, mercenaries, Wagner militia and Storm-Z Russian prisoners are being held in up to 50 sites around Ukraine. © Paula Bronstein /Getty Images

Prosecuting Russia’s Foreign Mercenaries

Fighters have been recruited from as far afield as South East Asia, Africa and North Korea, but their legal status remains ambiguous.

14 Oct 25

Ukrainian servicemen carry the coffin of Yehor Bartosh, a member of the 'Azov' unit killed in the Olenivka detention center, during the funeral service outside his house on April 25, 2023 in the village of Korniivka, Kyiv region, Ukraine. © Roman Pilipey/Getty Images

Ukraine: “To Be Silent Is to Let Them Keep Killing”

Why Olenivka’s bereaved families are taking their case to the International Criminal Court.

10 Oct 25

A Ukrainian citizen has been convicted in absentia for organising the forced mobilisation of civilians in the occupied Luhansk region to serve in illegal armed formations. © Scott Olson/Getty Images

Ukrainian Sentenced for Forced Mobilisation into Russian Army

Court found that indictee's actions undermined Ukraine’s national security and violated international law.

6 Oct 25

People try to clear the damage and locate their belongings at the scene of a Russian strike on September 28, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities said Russia launched another large overnight drone and missile attack on the capital. © Ed Ram/Getty Images

Ukraine: Accountability for Air Strikes

OSINT is proving critical in cases where the perpetrators of attacks on civilian targets may be hundreds of miles away.

26 Sep 25

Photos of missing prisoners of war are displayed on a board on May 25, 2025 in Chernihiv Region, Ukraine. © Paula Bronstein/Getty Images

Russian Tried for Killing Ukrainian POWs in Kursk

Case is one of several reports of summary executions carried out in captured territory.

25 Sep 25

Ainur Shafikov was among the Russian forces deployed to the eastern front to capture the Kharkiv region. © Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office

Kharkiv “Mock Execution” Trial Adjourned

Russian serviceman accused of carrying out abuses during 2022 occupation.

22 Sep 25

Support local journalists

DONATE