European Court Finds Russia Guilty of Grave Rights Violations in Ukraine
A precedent-setting decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has concluded that Russia committed systematic and severe violations of international law in Ukraine from May 2014 through September 2022.
Widespread Abuses
The Court found Russia accountable for a range of egregious acts, including extrajudicial killings, torture, unlawful detentions, forced labour, and mass sexual violence. These abuses targeted civilian populations, journalists, religious communities, and prisoners of war.
Sexual Violence as a Weapon
The judgement emphasized that rape and sexual violence were used deliberately as tools of war—to terrorize Ukrainian communities and degrade societal resilience—highlighting the especially brutal nature of the full-scale conflict post-2022.
MH17 Downing
The ECHR determined that Russia is legally responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in 2014, which killed 298 people. The Court criticized Moscow’s failure to conduct a genuine investigation or cooperate in subsequent legal proceedings.
Forced Deportations & Cultural Erasure
The Court also highlighted Russia’s role in forcibly deporting Ukrainian citizens, including children, from occupied territories. Additionally, it noted widespread confiscation of property, looting, suppression of religious freedoms, and attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Legal and Diplomatic Implications
This represents the first binding judgment holding Russia legally accountable for such violations in Ukraine. While the ruling applies only to acts committed before Russia’s expulsion from the Council of Europe in 2022, it empowers affected nations to pursue reparations and compensation. The Court’s decision serves as a historic milestone in international law.
Russia Rejects Ruling
Predictably, Moscow has dismissed the ECHR verdict and declined to comply with its findings or reparations, maintaining that its actions in Ukraine were lawful and valid.
