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401 Cases of Sexual Violence Documented in Ukraine Since Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion
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Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, authorities have documented 401 cases of sexual violence against Ukrainian civilians, with 250 women and 151 men among the victims.
This was reported by Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko via Facebook on June 19.
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“Conflict-related sexual violence is one of the gravest war crimes committed by Russia. And it has no statute of limitations. For Russia, sexual violence is not a ‘side effect’ of war. It is a tool of terror—a way to break a person, humiliate them, and spread fear in occupied territories and detention facilities,” Kravchenko said.
He noted that the Russian armed forces have been included by the United Nations in its “list of shame” of parties responsible for sexual violence in armed conflict.
According to the Prosecutor General, of the 401 documented cases, 23 involved minor girls and one involved a boy. He added that cases involving Ukrainian service members are being recorded separately.
The highest number of cases has been registered in the Kherson, Donetsk, Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Kravchenko said Ukrainian law enforcement is already pursuing accountability measures. Authorities have notified suspicion in 116 cases involving Russian military personnel, submitted 64 indictments against 81 individuals to court, and investigated 148 incidents of conflict-related sexual violence. Ukrainian courts have already issued 19 verdicts against 26 individuals, all of whom received prison sentences.
“While most perpetrators are hiding in Russia, this does not mean impunity. For each verdict, we have established facts, identified perpetrators, collected evidence, and built a legal basis for Russia’s further accountability, including in international courts,” he said.
He emphasized that supporting victims remains a key priority for Ukraine’s justice system.
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“We work according to a victim-centered approach: without pressure, without stigma, with respect for human dignity. Together with international partners and civil society organizations, we ensure access to medical, psychological, social, and legal assistance. Survivors must not be left alone with what they have experienced,” Kravchenko said.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry stated that, in the fifth year of Russia’s full-scale invasion, conflict-related sexual violence continues to rank among the most serious crimes against humanity committed by Russian occupation forces and occupation administrations.
According to the ministry, Russia has systematically used sexual violence as a method of warfare, as a tool of terror and intimidation, and as a means of undermining human dignity and spreading fear.
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