Kuleba on OSCE report on detention of civilian Ukrainians by Russia: "Conclusions are shocking"
The OSCE report, prepared within the framework of the Moscow Mechanism, shows the scale of Russia’s crimes in the occupied territories of Ukraine, including arbitrary detentions of Ukrainian civilians. It will help identify specific individuals who should be brought to justice.
This was stated by Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on the social network X, Censor.NET reports.
"This important document raises concerns about Russia's systematic and large-scale campaign to take civilian hostages in the occupied territories of Ukraine," Kuleba said, adding that "the conclusions of the independent mission are shocking."
According to him, according to the mission's conclusion, the persons involved in the arbitrary deprivation of liberty of Ukrainian civilians committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, and violated international humanitarian law and human rights.
Kuleba noted that according to the report, "this practice is widespread and there is evidence of Russia's systematic, consistent and deliberate behavior against Ukrainian civilians. It began in the occupied Crimea in 2014 and was expanded by the aggressor state after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
"The document will be an important element in the work of national and international judicial bodies aimed at identifying specific individuals who should be held criminally responsible," the minister emphasized.
He called on international partners to consolidate their efforts to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of all civilian Ukrainians unjustifiably detained by Russia, as stated in the Ukrainian Formula for Peace.
As a reminder, on February 29, 2024, the OSCE approved the mandate of the mission under the Moscow Mechanism regarding arbitrary detentions of Ukrainian civilians by Russia. The mission is to establish the facts of deprivation of liberty in the occupied territories and other crimes, such as torture or inhuman treatment. The OSCE mission's report will become a tool for documenting and proving Russia's crimes at the international level.
