Russian Aggression Against Ukraine: the State of Counteraction to Crimes Committed in the Context of Armed Conflict

During the period of Russia’s war against Ukraine from 24 February 2022 to 6 August 2025, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies registered 202918 criminal offences related to the Russian aggression, including:

• 180222 crimes against peace, human security and international law and order (of which 174961 are war crimes);
• 22696 crimes against the foundations of Ukraine’s national security.

As a result of war crimes committed by the Russian occupiers, 15318 civilians died (including 646 children) and 34324 civilians (including 2104 children) were injured.

The Russian occupiers destroyed and damaged 236631 civilian infrastructure objects, including 191375 residential buildings, 4379 educational and training institutions; 1085 medical institutions, 793 cultural buildings, 257 religious buildings, 9551 networks that ensure the vital activity of the population (gas pipelines, water pipelines, electricity networks), as well as 29191 other objects.

Contrary to the requirements of international instruments, Russian aggressors are actively using prohibited means of warfare. Thus, during the period of Russia’s war against Ukraine from 24 February 2022 to 6 August 2025, numerous facts of the use of prohibited means of warfare by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation were established.

Pre-trial investigations are currently underway into 4,895 such facts, including:

• 116 cases of the use of chemical weapons, as well as asphyxiating, poisonous or other similar gases;
• 4767 cases of the use of mines (anti-personnel, booby traps, remotely-launched mines);
• 5 cases of the use of phosphorus and thermobaric (“vacuum“) bombs and shells;
• 7 cases of the use of incendiary weapons or weapons primarily intended to set fire to objects or to burn people by flame or heat.

During the period of Russia’s war against Ukraine from 24 February 2022 to 6 August 2025, law enforcement agencies brought 736 people to criminal responsibility in the ‘Mainline Case‘, including:

• 49 representatives of the highest military command of the Russian Armed Forces and the Rosgvardia (including the Minister of Defence and the Chief of the General Staff, Commander of the Rosgvardia);
• 4 heads of law enforcement and intelligence agencies;
• 2 heads of both chambers of the Federal Assembly;
• 8 heads of executive bodies;
• 178 senators of the Federation Council;
• 419 deputies of the State Duma;
• 10 cultural figures and propagandists;
• 52 other public figures;
• 1 head of a private military company;
• 12 academics and university rectors;
• 1 representative of other countries (other than the Russian Federation).

During the period of Russia’s war against Ukraine from 24 February 2022 to 6 August 2025, law enforcement agencies submitted indictments (in absentia) against 484 people, including: 421 people under Article 110 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine; 18 people under Article 437 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine; and 45 people under Articles 110 and 437 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The court proceedings resulted in guilty verdicts against 245 people (members of the State Duma).

PROPAGANDA OF WAR (Article 436 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine)

During the period of Russia’s war against Ukraine from 24 February 2022 to 6 August 2025, law enforcement agencies conducted pre-trial investigations in 89 criminal proceedings.

In the respective criminal proceedings, the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine served notices of suspicion to 89 persons; proceedings against 1 person were closed on the basis of Article 284(1)(5) of the CPC of Ukraine (deceased).

Indictments against 80 people were submitted to the court, and a request for the application of medical coercive measures was submitted against 1 person.

As a result of the trial, 43 people were convicted; 1 person was acquitted under Article 436 of the Criminal Code; and 1 person was subjected to medical compulsory measures.

INVESTIGATION OF WAR CRIMES (Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine)

During this period of Russia’s war against Ukraine (from 24 February 2022 to 6 August 2025), 967 people were served with a notice of suspicion by the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine (28 of them were prisoners of war, 8 were civilians in custody, and the rest were served in absentia):

During the period of Russia’s war against Ukraine from 24 February 2022 to 6 August 2025, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies submitted indictments against 698 people (24 of them were prisoners of war, 5 were civilians, and the rest were tried in absentia):

During the period of Russia’s war against Ukraine from 24 February 2022 to 6 August 2025, 195 people were convicted in court (18 of them were prisoners of war, 1 was a civilian, and the rest were convicted in absentia):

WAR CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN

According to the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations, pre-trial investigations are being conducted in criminal proceedings on the facts of 4,862 criminal offences related to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine committed against children and in the field of child protection, including:

• war crimes against children – 1612;
• armed attacks on institutions and facilities for children – 2979;
• cases of sexual violence against children – 19;
• deportation and forced displacement – 186;
• 66 cases of illegal deprivation of liberty.

According to the regional prosecutor’s offices, pre-trial investigations are currently underway in 462 criminal proceedings into the disappearance of 2,178 children in the context of hostilities (Donetsk – 597, Kyiv – 3, Kirovohrad – 4, Luhansk – 758, Mykolaiv – 1, Kharkiv – 81, Kherson – 734).

According to the National Police of Ukraine, 2,216 children have not yet been found.

In 30 criminal proceedings, 74 members of the Russian Federation Armed Forces and other individuals have been notified of suspicion of committing war crimes against children.

In 21 criminal proceedings, indictments were submitted to court against 51 members of the Russian Federation Armed Forces and others for war crimes against children.

In 14 criminal proceedings, verdicts were delivered convicting 34 servicemen of the Russian Federation Armed Forces under Article 438(1) and (2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

EXECUTIONS OF UKRAINIAN DEFENDERS

The law enforcement agencies of Ukraine are conducting pre-trial investigations in 78 criminal proceedings on the execution of Ukrainian defenders by the Russian occupiers.

As a result of the investigation, 7 persons were served with a notice of suspicion, indictments were filed against 3 persons, and 2 persons were convicted by the courts.

STRIKES ON UKRAINIAN POWER FACILITIES

The highest number of strikes for the entire period:

The following objects were hit most often:

SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN TIMES OF WAR

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, prosecutors have recorded 373 cases of conflict-related sexual violence.

In particular, 137 cases were recorded against men and 236 against women, including 19 underage girls and 1 underage boy (other types of sexual violence not related to rape), including rape, mutilation or violence to genitals, forced nudity, threats and attempts to rape, forcing to watch sexual abuse of loved ones, etc.

Currently, the highest number of cases of sexual violence has been recorded in Kherson region (116), Donetsk region (86), Kyiv region (60), Kharkiv region (47), Zaporizhzhia region (26), Mykolaiv region (11), Luhansk region (9), Chernihiv region (8), Odesa region (6), Sumy region (3) and in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (1).

All of the above statistics relate exclusively to crimes committed against civilians. Data on military personnel are not included in these statistics and are not subject to public disclosure until martial law is lifted.

In connection with sexual violence in the occupied territories of Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kherson, Kharkiv and Mykolaiv regions, as well as in the territory of the Russian Federation, 87 members of the Russian Armed Forces were served with a notice of suspicion. Forty-six indictments against 60 people were sent to court. 122 cases of conflict-related sexual violence have been uncovered.

So far, courts have passed 13 verdicts against 20 people, nineteen of whom have been sentenced to imprisonment. Thirteen were sentenced to 12 years, two to 10 years and 11 years respectively, and five to 15 years. 5 verdicts against 10 people have not entered into force. All verdicts were delivered following a special trial (in the absence of the accused) in absentia.

WAR CRIMES INVOLVING JOURNALISTS

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, prosecutors have opened 122 criminal proceedings involving journalists.

At the same time, Russian aggressors killed 65 journalists, 8 of whom were international journalists. Russian aggressors have injured 46 journalists, 25 of whom were international journalists.

In addition, the Russian occupiers have illegally detained or imprisoned 18 journalists and captured 2 journalists. Unfortunately, one journalist disappeared as a result of Russian aggression.

As a result of the crimes committed by the Russian occupiers against journalists, 16 members of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation were notified of suspicion, indictments were sent to court against 11 people, and 3 people were convicted.