occupied territories
Chinese media expand their presence in Ukraine’s occupied territories and promote Kremlin narratives, RSF says
Although China does not officially recognise Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian territory, its media presence there continues to expand. As Vira Yastrebova, director of the Eastern Human Rights Group, pointed out, Chinese media actors frequently reproduce or reinforce Russian propaganda narratives
UK condemns Russia’s militarization and indoctrination of Ukrainian children, demands release of Ivan Zabavskyi and detained OSCE staff
The report published by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights concluded that Russia has violated International Humanitarian Law on a grand scale and is responsible for numerous and overlapping violations of International Human Rights Law.
Russia’s indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children may amount to crime against humanity – OSCE
The OSCE mission has documented that Russia systematically violates the rights of Ukrainian children, ranging from banning the Ukrainian language in schools to the forced conscription of boys into military service upon reaching the age of 18. The mission's legal analysis classifies the indoctrination and militarization of children as a crime against humanity, and specific episodes, including deportation and torture, as war crimes.
Russia’s Supreme Court upholds sentence of man convicted over pro-Ukraine comments
He was convicted under Part 2 of Article 205.2 ("Public calls for terrorist activity") of the Russian Criminal Code and Part 2 of Article 280 ("Public calls for extremist activity") of the same code
US Human Rights Commission calls for release of Crimean Tatar journalist Rustem Sheikhaliyev on his 47th birthday
Russian security forces detained Sheikhaliyev during mass searches of Crimean Tatar homes in March 2019. At the time, more than two dozen people were arrested simultaneously in occupied Simferopol and surrounding areas
Blind Crimean political prisoner Oleksandr Sizikov discharged from hospital and being transferred to prison in Minusinsk
While in the hospital, he underwent three medical examinations. The Kremlin prisoner was discharged on 10 June, 2026. According to Sizikov, he was due to be transferred on either 13 or 18 June to the facility where he is serving his unlawful sentence
FSB detained man in Sevastopol over online comments about Balaklava Thermal Power Plant
The man’s identity and his response to the allegations are unknown. There has been no independent confirmation of the information released by the Russian security services
Russian authorities sentenced a Sevastopol resident to five and a half years in prison over comments about the Kerch Bridge, which was illegally constructed by Russian occupiers
In addition, Oleksandr Maliarenko was charged with seven counts of "calling for violence against Russian citizens". In total, he faced 15 charges under articles covering "justification of terrorism" and "extremist activity". The verdict has not yet entered into force and may be appealed
Human rights defenders document 26 cases of pressure against journalists and activists in Crimea over the past year – ZMINA
Occupation authorities continue to restrict journalists' access to trials in politically motivated cases under the pretext of "counterterrorism security". Since the start of the full-scale war, independent and citizen journalists have effectively been barred from entering "court" buildings in the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea
Two 17-year-olds have been evacuated from Russian-occupied territories: The girl secretly studied the Ukrainian curriculum, while the boy lived in isolation for more than two years
After finishing the ninth grade, Artem was unable to continue his online studies at his Ukrainian school due to unstable internet access. At the same time, he refused to attend a Russian school. As a result, he effectively lived in social isolation for more than two years, rarely leaving home and barely communicating with other people
“It’s now the occupiers’ military commandant’s office”: Who is moving into Ukrainians’ homes in the temporarily occupied territories?
ZMINA has previously reported on how the Russian occupiers declare Ukrainians’ property in the temporarily occupied territories "ownerless" and expropriate it. This article looks at who is ending up in Ukrainians’ homes and how the process works in practice
Sixty-three countries agree to develop joint strategy on return of deported Ukrainian children
The objective of the the High-Level Meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children was to strengthen collective efforts to secure the safe return of children unlawfully deported or forcibly transferred by the Russian Federation in the course of its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine
RSF calls for the immediate release of Ukrainian journalist Iryna Levchenko, kidnapped in occupied Melitopol three years ago
According to the organization, Russia is currently holding at least 26 Ukrainian journalists, most of whom are detained in dire conditions. RSF underscores that such actions are aimed at suppressing freedom of speech in the occupied territories of Ukraine
Russian attacks have damaged or destroyed 36 prisons, 98 police detention facilities, and 167 court buildings in Ukraine since 2022 – Ombudsman
Ombudsman has issued acts of response regarding the necessity of timely urgent measures to ensure the temporary relocation of institutional care facilities located in active combat zones or nearby settlements, as well as in zones less than 50 km from the state borders with Russia and the Republic of Belarus
Only 5% of those responsible for deporting Ukrainian children face global sanctions
Olena Kondratiuk called for countries to automatically unify national sanctions lists and their expansion to cover corporate networks, Russian family members, and those who facilitate rather than directly commit these crimes
At the UN, Ukraine highlighted systematic persecution of journalists in Russian-occupied territories
Ukraine called on the international community to demand the release of all illegally detained journalists and to strengthen the response to Russian information campaigns
Russia threatens parents with loss of custody to enforce propaganda in occupied schools — Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Russia has systematically replaced Ukrainian education with propaganda in occupied territories since 2022, forcing children as young as primary school age to glorify Russian soldiers and justify the invasion, while threatening parents with loss of parental rights if they refuse to comply
Targeting NABU detectives over their origins or relatives in occupied territories is discriminatory, ZMINA human rights advocate warns
Lunyova emphasized that the state often perceives individuals from occupied territories, or those with relatives there, as an additional security risk. Consequently, they may be suspected of disloyalty or even treason solely for maintaining contact with loved ones still under occupation. In her view, this approach contradicts the state's publicly declared policy
Columns
Only 5% of those responsible for deporting Ukrainian children face global sanctions
The human safari: How Russia weaponized precision against Ukrainian civilians
The lesson of Crimea: Rewarding aggression only invites more war
Not just Ukraine — Russia is preparing Ukrainian children for future wars elsewhere
