The United Nations documented more than 1,000 cases of sexual violence in Ukraine

Translated by Giulia Girardi 

On 18 September 2026, the OHCHR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights) published the report “Sexual Violence in the Context of the Russian Federation’s Full-Scale Armed Attack against Ukraine,” analysing the cases of sexual violence committed during the Russian Federation’s full-scale armed attack against Ukraine between 24 February 2022 and 31 July 2026. The UN documented a total of 1004 cases of sexual violence, of which 984 were committed during the reporting period, while the remaining 20 occurred before 2022 and were documented subsequently. These acts of violence were used as a method of torture, punishment, or cruel, inhuman, or degrading behaviour against civilians and prisoners of war (POWs). 89 percent of the verified cases were attributed to Russian authorities, while 11 percent were attributed to Ukrainian authorities.

The crimes committed by the Russian Federation: violence against prisoners and civilians

Violence perpetuated by the Russian authorities was committed predominantly by members of the armed forces, the Federal Penitentiary Service, and the Federal Security Service. Violence against Ukrainian prisoners of war and medical personnel involved 572 cases, including 545 men and 27 women. These cases included rape, attempted rape, genital mutilation — often enacted using Tasers — and sexual humiliation. These violations occurred at various stages of captivity, from admission to detention facilities to interrogations and persecution; the aim was to extract information or confessions through the use of torture. Violence against Ukrainian civilians in detention involved 205 cases, including 156 men, 48 women, and one child. The practices included gang rape, beatings to the genitals, and electric shocks to the nipples. Most of these acts of violence occurred in occupied territories or in Russia, often with the aim of coercing the Ukrainian population as a form of punishment and humiliation. By contrast, it is relevant to consider the violent acts committed against civilians outside detention areas, particularly in residential conglomerates, which have dramatically affected women and girls. Russian armed forces often committed rape by breaking into homes, first killing or incapacitating the male members of the family and then carrying out the abuses. The youngest recorded victim of the aforementioned violence was four years old, while the oldest was 82. The OHCHR report also recounts the story of a woman from the Zaporizhzhia region, who was repeatedly raped over the course of a month — between May and June 2022 — by a Russian soldier with whom she had forcibly shared her house. The soldier reportedly promised the woman better treatment for her detained husband in exchange. Another account in the report concerns a woman who stated that, from April to August 2022, a Russian soldier stayed in her home in the Kherson region while she was living there with her nine-year-old son; during this period, she was raped every night. These testimonies provide concrete examples of the ways in which—according to the report—sexual violence was also used as a tool of coercion, intimidation, and punishment.

Kyiv and its 112 documented cases of violence against civilians

In Kyiv, the violence perpetuated by Ukrainian soldiers, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the State Penitentiary Service, as well as the national police is under scrutiny. The UN recorded 63 cases of violence committed against Russian prisoners of war or prisoners from other countries. The vast majority of the violence occurred in the period after the capture. Regarding the violent acts committed against civilians detained for conflict-related reasons, the OHCHR recorded 49 cases, with a huge number of victims being men. Nearly half of these cases were threats of sexual violence. The Ukrainian government granted UN international observers access to many official detention facilities. Ukraine has taken legal measures by ratifying the Rome Statute, starting investigations into alleged crimes, and enacting laws to provide medical and legal assistance and financial compensation to survivors of sexual violence. 

The Ukrainian government has granted the United Nations access to many official detention centres. Ukraine has implemented legal measures by ratifying the Rome Statute, initiating inquiries into alleged criminal conduct, and enacting laws to ensure medical and legal support as well as financial compensation for survivors of sexual violence. However, the UN notes that judicial accountability remains very limited, as there are currently no formal suspects regarding crimes committed by its own soldiers.

Abuse as underestimated reality

Danielle Bell, head of the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, stated that the risks facing civilians are increasing throughout Ukraine. During the first eight months of 2026, more civilians were killed and injured than in the entirety of 2025. The OHCHR report has contributed to shed light on the conditions that seemed to nornalise violence, including the lack of safeguards to ensure that those responsible are identified. According to the report, Russia’s refusal to grant the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights access to occupied Ukrainian territory, prisoners of war, and civilian detainees means that the actors involved may underestimate the true scale of the violations. “Sexual violence is often misunderstood within arme conflicts, since it is believed that it primarily affects women and girls, whereas in the context of the war in Ukraine, the majority of survivors are men,” Danielle Bell stated. The 1004 cases documented in the report represent only a fraction of the total. The OHCHR interviewed approximately 10% of the Ukrainian prisoners of war who had been released and 10% of the Russian prisoners who remained in detention. It is also important to bear in mind that a “case” does not necessarily correspond to a single incident, as a victim may have experienced multiple acts of violence during detention. As it was stated in the previous paragraphs, another notable finding is that the majority of documented victims were men, particularly those held in detention facilities.

The legal framework: sexual violence as a war crime

International humanitarian law prohibits sexual violence during armed conflicts. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court considers rape, sexual slavery, and other forms of sexual violence among acts that may constitute crimes against humanity when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population. The document also illustrates how sexual violence itself may constitute a war crime. In this case, based on the UN OHCHR report, violations and alleged crimes are documented. However, this does not constitute a criminal conviction. The International Criminal Court has been investigating the situation in Ukraine since 2022. However, the documentation of alleged violations and crimes does not, in itself, establish criminal liability.