Since Russian forces invaded Ukraine, the UN has recorded 77 summary executions of civilians arbitrarily detained by Russia in the Ukrainian territories it has placed under its control, according to a report released today.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also recorded 864 cases of arbitrary detention and underlined that “the Russian armed forces, law enforcement and prison authorities “engaged in the widespread use of torture and ill-treatment against detained civilians”.

This report, drawn up by the UNHCR office in Ukraine and released today in Geneva, covers the period from February 24, 2022, when the invasion began, to May 23, 2023.

The report records a total of over 900 cases of arbitrary arrests of citizens, including children and the elderly. “The vast majority of these were carried out by the Russian Federation,” the report states.

On the Ukrainian side, the Office “recorded 75 cases of arbitrary arrests by Ukrainian security forces, mainly of people suspected of crimes related to the conflict.”

“Enforced disappearances, mainly perpetrated by the Security Service of Ukraine, also account for a significant proportion of these cases,” the report notes.

“More than half of those arbitrarily detained were tortured or ill-treated by Ukrainian security forces. This occurred during their interrogation, generally immediately after their arrest,” the report added.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ findings were based on 1,136 testimonies provided by victims, eyewitnesses and others, 274 on-site visits and 70 visits to official detention facilities run by the Ukrainian authorities, which provided “completely free, but of a confidential nature, access to all official places of detention and to prisoners, with one exception”.

Russian authorities have not allowed any access despite requests from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.