Members of the independent international commission of inquiry on Ukraine at a news conference in Geneva on March 16. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images
Russian forces in Ukraine have committed an array of violations that amount to war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, a United Nations commission said in a report released Thursday.
The big picture: Russia's violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law — many of which constitute war crimes — include willful killings, torture, rape, forced transfers and the deportation of children, per the report.
Details: The findings cover a period from the start of the invasion in Feb. 2022 to mid-Jan. 2023, in nine regions of Ukraine, said Erik Møse, chairman of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, at a press briefing Thursday.
Russian armed forces have also committed indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks while failing to take precautions to minimize harm.
Worth noting: The commission also found a "small number of violations committed by Ukrainian armed forces," the report stated.
What to watch: The commission found that Russia's wave of attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure last fall, as well as Russian authorities' use of torture, could amount to crimes against humanity, per the report.