30 April 2025
News
Russians kill one and injure three people in attacks on Kupiansk and Vovchanski Khutory in the Kharkiv Oblast
A 47-year-old woman and a 57-year-old man were injured in the strike, with varied degrees of severity. They were hospitalised. Apart from this, a 63-year-old woman was killed in a Russian strike on Kupiansk. Another local resident, a 65-year-old man, suffered an acute stress reaction
Russian guided bombs kill 9-year-old girl and injure 6-year-old boy in Zaporizhzhia Oblast Attack
Fedorov also reported that Russia had targeted residential buildings with guided bombs
Expert warned about three challenges to proper documentation of international crimes and preservation of evidence of Russian aggression against Ukraine
The absence of a unified state strategy for documenting the events of the Russian-Ukrainian war, cuts in funding for human rights projects, and aggressive Russian propaganda create risks of losing years of achievements in the field of recording war crimes, Anton Drobovych stated
“The truth makes a person free, and therefore victorious”: a documentary about the oppression of priests in occupied Melitopol was shown in Kyiv
The documentary film "No God But Theirs", created by The Kyiv Independent, took place in Kyiv, which highlights the oppression of priests in occupied Melitopol
In occupied Sevastopol, security forces kidnapped Serhii Hryshchenkov, there has been no information about him for several weeks
Russia's FSB officers forcibly disappeared Crimean resident, Serhii Hryshchenkov
Kremlin prisoner Rustem Huhuryk is not receiving medical care in a Russian penal colony and is being denied the opportunity to file a complaint about this violation
The Crimean Tatar had health problems even before his imprisonment, and in captivity, without proper treatment, his condition has deteriorated to a critical level
The Ombudsman received over 1,300 complaints about shortcomings in the system of state protection of civilians released from captivity
Civilians released from Russian captivity are unaware of and do not use forms of social support from the Ukrainian state
Only 34 civilians released from Russian captivity received medical care in specialised facilities – Ombudsman monitoring
Civilians released from Russian captivity lack adequate access to medical care and rehabilitation, despite these being guaranteed by Ukrainian law
Among civilians released in the “1000 for 1000” exchange, one political prisoner, 15 Inmates, and the remaining were Ukrainians who had already served their sentences in Russia
The civilians released during the "1000 for 1000" exchange, there was one political prisoner, 15 inmates, and Ukrainians who had already completed their sentences in Russia
Russians hit Zaporizhzhia Oblast with guided aerial bombs, killing and injuring people
Russians attacked the village of Verkhna Tersa with guided aerial bombs at dawn
Two men die in Russian drone attack on Beryslav, Kherson Oblast
Russian forces frequently target civilians in the Kherson Oblast with drone attacks. Local authorities regularly report casualties caused by explosives dropped from drones
Court sentences Russian soldier Ruslan Minkhazov to life in absentia for shooting a civilian car in the Chernihiv Oblast
A Russian soldier who was involved in shooting a car carrying civilians in the region in 2022 has been found guilty of violating the laws and customs of war in absentia, combined with intentional murder.
Ukrainian prisoners of war are dying in Russian prisons from tuberculosis, infections, asphyxiation, and head injuries – Associated Press
Autopsies conducted on the returned remains of Ukrainian prisoners of war who died in Russian prisons reveal they died from tuberculosis, infections, asphyxiation, and head injuries
80% of collaboration cases are heard in absentia, without the accused present – ZMINA
The atmosphere of fear and coercion to cooperate with Russian occupiers is not taken into account by current Ukrainian legislation on collaboration when prosecuting individuals
Reintegration of youth from the occupied territories requires inter-agency coordination – Presidential Representative of Crimea
Children leaving temporarily occupied Crimea urgently need integration into Ukraine's educational system
Prosecutor General’s Office notified 877 Russians under suspicion of war crimes
The Prosecutor General's Office has officially notified 877 individuals of suspicion for committing war crimes
Russian special services create fake organisations to mimic Red Cross activities – HUR
Fake humanitarian organisations within Russia masquerade as humanitarian missions to give aid to Ukrainian prisoners of war, but in reality act to prevent aid
“Suspilne Donbas” film crew attacked by Russian drone in the Donetsk Oblast
A film crew from "Suspilne Donbas" was attacked in the Donetsk region by a Russian drone.
Over three years, Russians have killed nearly 60 emergency medical workers
Russian forces have killed 58 emergency medical and disaster medicine workers in Ukraine and wounded at least 122 specialists
The Equality March will take place in Kyiv in mid-June
KyivPride 2025 is set to take place in the first half of June in Kyiv
The whereabouts of Azov soldier Oleh Lobov, who was severely wounded in the Olenivka terrorist attack, remain unknown
In the aftermath of the Olenivka colony barracks terror attack, the whereabouts of a serviceman of the "Azov" Special Forces Detachment of the National Guard, captured during the defence of Mariupol, remain unknown
Russians kill 12 and injure over 60 people in largest attack on Ukraine to date
Russian armed forces attacked thirteen Ukrainian regions: the capital, the Kyiv Oblast, the Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyy, Ternopil, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Sumy, and Poltava Oblasts
Russia launches major aerial attack on Kyiv, injuring 15 civilians
It was one of the biggest combined aerial assaults on the city since the onset of full-scale war of Russians against Ukrainian people
How Russian archaeologists in occupied Crimea are violating international law
Since its occupation in 2014, Russian archaeologists are systematically conducting excavations on Ukrainian cultural heritage sites in Crimea, effectively appropriating or destroying them under the guise of "scientific research".
Ukrainian investigators and judges continue to ignore international humanitarian law when considering collaborationist cases
ZMINA releases an analytical report titled "Liability for collaborationism: how has judicial practice changed?", which analyses the verdicts listed in the Unified State Register of Court Decisions
Russians kill a 32-year-old woman in Chuhuiv, five others injured across Kharkiv Oblast
Russians killed a 32-year-old woman and injured two people. They also damaged a business facility, houses and cars
Russian ballistic missiles kill two, injure eight in attack on Odesa port
Kiper also reported that a port employee was killed in the Russian strike. Four of the people injured in the attack are in a serious condition, two in a moderate condition and two sustained minor injuries
Russians execute two captured Ukrainian soldiers in the Donetsk region
Russian forces have killed two captured Ukrainian soldiers in the Donetsk region
Ukraine will celebrate Cultural Diversity Day for the first time: a large-scale festival of national minorities will be held in Kyiv
Kyiv will host a large-scale festival of national minorities on May 24, 2025 to celebrate Ukraine's various ethnic cultures
Russians killed elderly woman in Kherson
The law enforcement officers have initiated criminal proceedings in connection with the commission of a war crime that caused the death of a person (Article 438.2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine)
Almost 50 children told police about attempted recruitment by the Russian special services
Since Ukrainian law enforcement began urging children to come forward should Russian agents try to recruit them, almost 50 have done so
Russian guided bombs and rockets kill one, injure seven in Kupiansk area
The Russians struck a three-storey apartment building with a guided aerial bomb in the settlement of Kupiansk-Vuzlovyy. The attack completely destroyed one of the building’s entrances and damaged nearby apartment buildings and houses
Children in occupied Crimea are forced to sew clothes and produce drone parts for the Russian military
Ukrainian children living under Russian occupation are being compelled to manufacture materials and equipment for the Russian army during vocational training classes.
Ombudsman demands the government adopt a state housing program for IDPs
The Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights insists on the adoption of a state program to address funding, resource allocation to address a critical lack of mechanisms for housing internally displaced persons
Russian occupation of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant: 13 nuclear workers illegally detained over three years
Regarding the illegally convicted nuclear workers, seven of them have received sentences in fabricated criminal cases, three are awaiting "trial," and the fate of another three is unknown, leading them to be considered missing
Council of Europe adopts Convention on the Protection of the Lawyer Profession: will the document strengthen Ukraine’s advocacy?
The Council of Europe responds to the increasing threat and attacks against lawyers and the legal profession.
Over 27% of detainees were women, 20% from vulnerable groups: International Partnership for Human Rights on Kherson Detention Facility
The report of the IPHR is based on the testimonies of 59 victims gathered by human rights defenders during field missions in the Kherson Oblast
Mobile pharmacies are now serving a thousand settlements across Ukraine
Mobile pharmacies have expanded their routes to cover a thousand settlements across Ukraine, servicing citizens in remote areas
The government has not yet introduced a mechanism for verifying knowledge and skills acquired during the occupation – Ombudsman
Due to the Ukrainian government's failure to establish a procedure for recognising educational results, Ukrainian citizens who obtained an education in temporarily occupied territories are still unable to continue their studies or find employment
Russian media is an important link in the chain of intimidation against Crimeans under occupation – ZMINA human rights advocate
During the First Crimea Week in Brussels, a human rights advocate from the Human Rights Centre ZMINA explained how the Russian media plays a crucial role in intimidating Crimeans with pro-Ukrainian views in the temporarily occupied territories
Sevastopol’s “Tauric Chersonese” museum-reserve added to EU sanctions list
The "Tauric Chersonese" cultural site, located in temporarily occupied Crimea, has been included in the European Union's 17th package of sanctions against Russia
Russian artillery kills elderly woman in Siversk, wounds five others across Donetsk Oblast
Lyman also came under attack. A shell struck a civilian car with a 56-year-old driver and a 52-year-old passenger
UN World Food Programme helps feed over 150,000 Ukrainian school children with hot meals
2.2 million hryvnias in aid from the UN World Food Programme (WFP) have been approved for the nutrition of primary school students.
Three Russian servicemen charged in absentia with rape and abuse of civilians under occupation in the Luhansk region
The names of the suspects have not been released, but it is known that two were part of the 123rd Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade of the 2nd Army of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces, and the third was a member of the so-called 15th Territorial Defence Battalion "USSR Bryanka." The latter group has been known for torture, robbery, and killings since 2014
Russia continues the Soviet-era practice of destroying Ukrainian identity at the state level – human rights advocates
Human rights activists are certain that in this way, the Russian authorities are committing not only a war crime but also a crime against humanity with elements of genocide
Crimean activists hold resistance actions on Day of Remembrance for Victims of Crimean Tatar Genocide
Activists from the "Yellow Ribbon" movement held a resistance action in temporarily occupied Crimea on the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Genocide of the Crimean Tatar People
Ukrainian police received 416 reports of torture of Kremlin detainees in occupied territories in 2024 – Ombudsman
The National Police of Ukraine have initiated criminal proceedings regarding the enforced disappearance and deprivation of liberty of 204 civilians in the occupied territories
Members of European Parliament advocate for Crimean political prisoners
Members of the European Parliament issued a demand to the Russian Federation for the immediate release of Crimean political prisoners on the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Deportation of the Crimean Tatar People
Railway worker and wife killed in Russian drone attack on bus near Bilopillia
A Russian drone attacked a commuter bus near Bilopillia in the Sumy region, killing a railway worker and his wife, a teacher
Occupational authorities in the Luhansk Region plan to engage youth in unpaid agricultural labour
Russian authorities are reportedly drafting legislation to involve youths who live under occupation in the Luhansk region in unpaid agricultural work
Over 80% of civilian hostages suffered violence while held in Russian captivity
The MIHR, together with the Human Rights Centre ZMINA, analysed the testimonies of 93 civilians released from Russian captivity. Human rights activists interviewed 61 men and 32 women aged between 24 and 60 from various occupations, including civil servants, journalists, volunteers, teachers, and others
Russians dubbed torture ‘lie detector’, ‘gym’, and ‘swimming lessons’ in Kherson Pre-trial Detention Centre – International Partnership for Human Rights reports
The International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) released a new report detailing torture and other inhuman treatment of detainees at a Kherson detention facility
Russians attack Ukrainian minibus, killing nine and injuring seven in Sumy Oblast following failed peace talks
The press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine also reported that seven other people were injured in the attack on Saturday morning in Bilopillia, Sumy, as the minibus travelled to the regional capital close to Russia's border
1.6 million children may remain in Russian occupation – Almenda human rights advocates
Researchers were unable to find precise data on access to education in Ukrainian in the Russian-occupied territories of the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, and Kherson regions. However, it is known that the Russians announced the transition of education to Russian, and Ukrainian was only allowed to be taught as a "native" or "optional" subject for a few hours a week
Over the past three years, Russians have shelled hotels in Ukraine more than three dozen times
Over three dozen strikes have been carried out by Russian forces against civilian hotels in the past three years, signifying a clear Russian strategy.
“We fought Sweden for 21 years”: Russia announced in Istanbul it is “ready for endless war” against Ukraine – The Economist
The Ukrainian side called Russia's threats unacceptable
The bodies of 909 fallen defenders returned to Ukraine
The bodies of 909 fallen service members were returned to Ukraine as part of ongoing repatriation efforts
Russians kill two civilians and injure three others in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast, with Molniya drone
Additionally, two local women aged 53 and 72 sustained shrapnel wounds, burns and blast injuries
Newly elected Pope provided with a list of Ukrainian prisoners of war
A Ukrainian delegation has presented newly anointed Pope Leo XIV with a list of Ukrainian prisoners of war held in captivity in Russia.
Kupyansk’s only city hospital ceases operations amidst shelling
Local authorities announced that they had to act to protect lives. The area around the medical institution has frequently come under fire
Three dead, nine injured as Russian missile hits Sumy industrial facility
The city council reported that the Russian attack on the facility killed three people and severely wounded two others. According to the head of the Regional Military Administration, Oleh Hryhorov, the deceased were 36, 29, and 41 years old
Over 70% of Ukrainian citizens do not support elections during ceasefire – survey
The Omnibus public opinion poll took place from May 2 to 12. Researchers conducted telephone interviews based on a random sample of mobile phone numbers across all government-controlled regions, surveying 1,010 respondents aged 18 and older
Two teenagers detained in Rivne, accused of Russian-ordered terrorist act
Two teenagers who are accused of carrying out a terrorist act orchestrated by Russia
“I hear others. I hope they hear me too” – Maksym Butkevych presents a human rights podcast
Maksym Butkevych, together with journalist Darya Bura, has launched a new human rights podcast, "I hear others."
France, Germany, Poland, UK and Ukraine release statement on need for ceasefire
Previously, Zelensky elaborated for Russitins on the meaning of the word "unconditional," referring to a 30-day ceasefire
Russian woman sentenced in absentia for urging soldier husband to rape women
The Bykovsky couple became widely known in 2022 when the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) released an intercepted phone conversation between them. In the recording, the convicted woman laughingly encouraged her husband to "rape Ukrainian women"
Russian military launches nearly 100 guided bombs at Sumy region, killing civilian
A 63-year-old woman with no signs of life was found on the territory of one of the households in the Richky hromada
Russian aggression damages 1,419 monuments and 2,233 cultural objects in Ukraine
Among the damaged buildings, 139 are of national significance, 1,184 are of local significance, and another 96 elements were recently identified
Russians erect Stalin monument in occupied Melitopol
A monument to the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin has been erected in Russian occupied Melitopol
Occupied Crimea: locals judged daily for “Army Fakes”
Occupation courts are persecuting cases of so-called "discreditation of the Russian army" on a daily basis in Crimea
59-year-old man becomes tenth fatality in Russian drone strike on civilian bus in Marhanets, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
Serhii Lysak, Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, reported that the death toll from this attack had risen to 10
Russia launches attacks across entire front line, exposing Putin’s “ceasefire” as farce – Sybiha
According to Ukraine's military data, despite Putin's statements, Russian forces continue to attack across the entire frontline
Two dead, eight injured as Russian ballistic missiles and drones strike Kyiv overnight
The President of Ukraine reported that since the evening, there have been numerous strikes on Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk Oblast, Zhytomyr Oblast, Kherson Oblast and Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. He also revealed that in the village of Velyka Chernechchyna, Sumy Oblast
Ukraine urges countries not to whitewash Russian war crimes by participating in Moscow’s May 9 military parade
The MFA considers the participation of foreign military personnel in this event unacceptable and will regard it as an "outrage against the memory of the victory over Nazism, the memory of millions of Ukrainian front-line soldiers who liberated our country and the whole of Europe from Nazism" eight decades ago
Russian ballistic missile strike kills three people and injures others in Sumy
The outskirts of Sumy came under attack by Russian forces at around 17:30
68% of Ukrainians support lustration as a tool for restoring justice – poll
In achieving justice, 68% of Ukrainians consider lustration an effective tool for restricting access to state institutions for individuals who have compromised themselves by collaborating with the Russian occupiers
“Don’t Be Silent! Captivity Kills”: Kyiv rally demands release of Ukrainian POWs
The organaizers of the peaceful assembly called on Ukrainians to attend the rallies every Sunday with flags, posters, and photographs of prisoners or simply to be present and collectively say, "We do not forget"
Russians kill three civilians in Kherson and Donetsk Oblasts during May 3
The Russians struck a crowded area near Svobodа Square and the Central Department Store
Russians kill four in Donetsk Oblast; one in Kherson Oblast
Specifically, Russians killed three people in Novokhatske and one in Klynove in the Donetsk Oblast on May 2, 2025. Another eight people in the oblast were injured
