The United Nations has condemned what it called a “shocking pattern” of sexual violence by Russian forces during the war in Ukraine, warning that the abuse is likely continuing as fighting persists.
A report published by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights documented 1,004 cases of conflict-related sexual violence between Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 and the end of July 2026. The victims ranged in age from four to 82, reported by Euro News.
Russian troops were identified as the alleged perpetrators in 89% of the cases. The report said the crimes formed part of a wider pattern of torture, intimidation and coercion, particularly in occupied Ukrainian territory and detention facilities.
Men made up most of the documented victims, especially among prisoners of war and detained medical workers. Women and children, however, were among those most severely affected in areas under Russian occupation.
The reported crimes included rape, gang rape, genital mutilation, electric shocks and other forms of sexual humiliation. In 155 cases, victims were allegedly tortured with a Soviet-era military field telephone known as a “tapik”, which was used to deliver electric shocks to the genitals.
The report also recorded testimonies from survivors who said they had been assaulted with objects including batons, keys and shovel handles.
In one case, a woman in the Kyiv region said Russian soldiers killed her husband before raping her in front of her four-year-old son. She was reportedly threatened with death if she resisted.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said he was deeply alarmed by the evidence and called for the abuse to stop immediately.
“Given the high prevalence of cases attributed to its forces, the Russian Federation must take concrete steps to protect civilians and prisoners of war,” he said.
The report attributed 11% of the cases to Ukrainian forces. These included threats of sexual violence, forced nudity, beatings and two reported cases each of sexual assault and attempted rape.
Russia, which was added to the UN’s list of parties suspected of conflict-related sexual violence in May, has rejected the findings as politically motivated. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said the report showed the scale of systematic violations committed by Russia.
rape and sexual violence are recognised under international law as war crimes and crimes against humanity.
