عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

UN: No Evidence on Genocide in Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv. AFP
Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv. AFP
TT
20
TT

UN: No Evidence on Genocide in Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv. AFP
Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv. AFP

UN investigators said Thursday they "have not found that there has been a genocide within Ukraine.”

Presenting their first report, the high-level team of investigators said they had determined that Russian authorities had committed "a wide range of war crimes" since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 -- and also warned of possible crimes against humanity.

But Erik Mose, chairman of the Commission of Inquiry (COI), said that so far they "have not found that there has been a genocide within Ukraine".

Asked about specific accusations of genocide, including the forced transfer of Ukrainian children to areas under Russian control, Mose said: "We are absolutely aware of these possibilities, and we will pursue this" if the commission's mandate is prolonged.

The investigators' report did however conclude that the forced deportations of Ukrainian children "violate international humanitarian law, and amount to a war crime".

The report highlighted numerous other Russian violations in Ukraine that it said amounted to war crimes, including widespread attacks on civilians and infrastructure, killings, torture and rape and other sexual violence.

It also said Moscow could be responsible for the even more serious "crimes against humanity", pointing to the wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure that began last October, and recommended further investigations.

The report also found that Ukraine forces had committed a "small number of violations" including what appeared to be indiscriminate attacks and torture of prisoners of war.

Most Viewed

 
World

Putin Proposes Direct Peace Talks with Ukraine after 3 Years of War

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives to make a statement to the media at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 11 May 2025. EPA/GAVRIIL GRIGOROV / SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives to make a statement to the media at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 11 May 2025. EPA/GAVRIIL GRIGOROV / SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL
TT
20
TT

Putin Proposes Direct Peace Talks with Ukraine after 3 Years of War

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives to make a statement to the media at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 11 May 2025. EPA/GAVRIIL GRIGOROV / SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives to make a statement to the media at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 11 May 2025. EPA/GAVRIIL GRIGOROV / SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday proposed direct talks with Ukraine on May 15 in Türkiye that he said should be aimed at bringing a durable peace, an initiative welcomed by US President Donald Trump.

Putin sent thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, unleashing a war that has left hundreds of thousands of soldiers dead and triggering the gravest confrontation between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
The Russian leader, who has offered few concessions towards ending the conflict so far, said the talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul will be aimed at eliminating the root causes of the war and restoring a "long-term, lasting peace" rather than simply a pause for rearmament.
"We are proposing that Kyiv resume direct negotiations without any preconditions," Putin said from the Kremlin in the early hours of Sunday, according to Reuters. "We offer the Kyiv authorities to resume negotiations already on Thursday, in Istanbul." Putin said that he would speak to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later on Sunday about facilitating the talks, which he said could lead to a ceasefire.
"Our proposal, as they say, is on the table. The decision is now up to the Ukrainian authorities and their curators, who are guided, it seems, by their personal political ambitions, and not by the interests of their peoples."
In a message on the social network Truth Social, Trump hailed Putin's proposal as a positive for ending the war.
"A potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine!" Trump said. "Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end."
Putin's proposal for direct talks with Ukraine came hours after major European powers demanded on Saturday in Kyiv that Putin agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire or face "massive" new sanctions.
Putin dismissed what he said was the attempt by some European powers to lay down "ultimatums".
Russia, Putin said, had proposed several ceasefires, including a moratorium on striking energy facilities, an Easter ceasefire and most recently the 72-hour truce during the celebrations marking 80 years since victory in World War Two.
Both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of violating the temporary truce proposals, including the May 8-10 ceasefire.
Despite Putin's call for peace talks, Russia on Sunday launched a drone attack on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, injuring one person in the region surrounding the Ukrainian capital and damaging several private homes, Ukrainian officials said.
Putin said that he does not rule out that during his proposed talks in Türkiye both sides will agree on "some new truces, a new ceasefire," but one that would be the first step towards a "sustainable" peace.