The Yagidne Case: The ECHR Informed the Russian Government of Complaints from Ukrainian Civilians Who Were Held in a School Basement for a Month
The European Court of Human Rights has served the Russian Government with the applications in Menyaylo and Others v. Russia and Lepekha and Others v. Russia (Nos. 34851/24 and 6972/23) concerning events in the village of Yagidne in the Chernihiv region.
The cases concern 111 Ukrainian civilians who were held by Russian military personnel in the basement of a local school in March 2022. According to the applicants, the school had effectively been turned into a military facility, with civilians being used as human shields, and the conditions of detention — extremely cramped (0.5 square metres per person), without adequate access to food, water, light, sanitation and medical care — led to the deaths of eleven people, including three close relatives of the applicants.
Among those detained were children, elderly people, cancer patients, a pregnant woman and persons with reduced mobility. Some applicants also report killings, disappearances, attempted rape, beatings, destruction of property and looting by Russian military personnel during the occupation of the village.
The applicants rely on Articles 2, 3, 5, 8 and 13 of the Convention, as well as Article 2 of Protocol No. 4, Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 and Article 2 of Protocol No. 1.
On 10 June 2026, the Russian Government was served with the applications and the Court’s questions. It should be noted that, although Russia is no longer a party to the Convention, it remains liable for violations that took place prior to 16 September 2022.
