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Ukraine Investigates 26 Russian Wartime Sexual Violence Cases Against Women, Men, and Children
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Ukrainian prosecutors are investigating 26 cases of conflict-related sexual violence allegedly committed by Russian forces in the Donetsk region, involving 17 women, three men, and six children, according to the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office on May 12.
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The announcement was made by Donetsk regional prosecutor Pavlo Uhrovetskyi, who said 10 of the ongoing criminal proceedings concern rape allegations linked to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“Currently, 26 criminal proceedings are being investigated regarding conflict-related sexual violence, in which the victims are 17 women, three men, and six children,” Uhrovetskyi stated. “Ten proceedings have been registered specifically on the facts of rape.”
According to the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office, one of the latest cases involves a Russian serviceman from the 114th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade who was notified of suspicion under Article 438 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code, which covers violations of the laws and customs of war.
Prosecutors said the suspect, described as a former prisoner who signed a military contract with Russia while serving a sentence in a penal colony, entered a village in the Pokrovsk district as part of a small infantry group in September 2025.
According to the investigation, the group entered the basement of a private house where two civilians were sheltering from shelling. During a subsequent attack, one civilian was killed, leaving a woman alone with the Russian servicemen.
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The Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office stated that the suspect allegedly raped the woman repeatedly over a period of approximately two months while threatening to kill her if she resisted. Prosecutors also said the serviceman claimed Russian forces had received orders to kill civilians.
According to prosecutors, Ukrainian forces captured the suspect during later combat operations in December 2025, ending the woman’s captivity.
Earlier, the UN Human Rights Office reported widespread and systematic abuses against Ukrainian civilians detained by Russia, including torture, sexual violence, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary arrests in occupied territories and inside Russia.
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