Russian-Ukrainian war

Russian forces continue to violate the property rights of Ukrainians in temporarily occupied Crimea, flouting the Geneva Convention – Crimean human rights defenders
News - 18 April 2023

Russian forces continue to violate the property rights of Ukrainians in temporarily occupied Crimea, flouting the Geneva Convention – Crimean human rights defenders

The confiscation of properties violates international law and highlights the ongoing aggressive policies of the Russian occupiers

It’s not a problem for Russians to place Grad MLRS behind column of civilians and fire at Ukrainian positions: Story of veteran who escaped from occupied Kherson region
Articles - 30 September 2022

It’s not a problem for Russians to place Grad MLRS behind column of civilians and fire at Ukrainian positions: Story of veteran who escaped from occupied Kherson region

When Russia’s full-scale offensive began, Ruslan Zaredinov, a Crimean Tatar and ATO veteran, lived with his family in the urban-type village of Novooleksiyivka, Henichesk district, Kherson region, 25km from Chonhar. They were unable to evacuate due to the almost lightning-fast occupation of Kherson region. For five months, the 35-year-old man and his family lived in fear that the Russians would come for Ruslan as it happened to his friends and familiar veterans.

Russia has unduly restricted the right to freedom of opinion and expression in temporarily occupied Crimea since full-scale war against Ukraine – OHCHR
News - 29 September 2022

Russia has unduly restricted the right to freedom of opinion and expression in temporarily occupied Crimea since full-scale war against Ukraine – OHCHR

OHCHR has documented the prosecution of 89 individuals in temporarily occupied Crimea for “public actions directed at discrediting the armed forces of the Russian Federation” since the legislation was introduced in March 2022

Road for survival. How Ukrainians from occupied South cross Vasylivka to break free
Articles - 08 September 2022

Road for survival. How Ukrainians from occupied South cross Vasylivka to break free

 ZMINA talked to people, volunteers, and drivers who crossed the checkpoints in Vasylivka. In a few months, they turned into a separate world, subject to the changing mood of the occupiers – lawlessness reigns here, people have to spend nights by the road in tents and cars or neighboring villages, undergo humiliating inspections, and do not have access to healthcare. The physically and psychologically exhausting wait for departure has already claimed the lives of more than ten people.

‘I recognized his cross and teeth, waited for DNA analysis results for another month’: Iryna from Chernihiv spent several weeks searching for her husband, killed in Russian strike on evacuation bus
Articles - 02 September 2022

‘I recognized his cross and teeth, waited for DNA analysis results for another month’: Iryna from Chernihiv spent several weeks searching for her husband, killed in Russian strike on evacuation bus

The man could not be found for a long time. His relatives believed in a miracle, but the DNA analysis of the body found later confirmed that Yevhen had been killed between the villages of Kolychivka and Lukashivka. The Russian military struck the bus he was traveling in with an anti-tank guided missile. Iryna, the wife of the murdered man, told ZMINA about the weeks spent hoping that her husband had survived, searching for him, and the circumstances of the Russian war crime.

‘Spring was very cold. Or so it seems to us’: Story of man from Mariupol who survived under rubble of bombed-out building but lost his daughter
Articles - 30 August 2022

‘Spring was very cold. Or so it seems to us’: Story of man from Mariupol who survived under rubble of bombed-out building but lost his daughter

Yevhen Kostomanov, 59, lived and worked in Mariupol all his life. In March, the man lost his daughter – she was killed as a Russian aerial bomb hit their house – but he managed to survive. Yevhen told ZMINA about the month spent in Mariupol and how he, his wife, and seven-year-old grandson fled the city literally on foot.

‘I came for a cross to put on grave of murdered girl and was hit in teeth with buttstock’: reportage on Russian war crimes in Chernihiv region’s village
Articles - 30 August 2022

‘I came for a cross to put on grave of murdered girl and was hit in teeth with buttstock’: reportage on Russian war crimes in Chernihiv region’s village

At the end of June, a ZMINA journalist visited Shestovytsia together with the Educational Human Rights House Chernihiv experts who document the Russian war crimes of the Russians within Ukraine 5 AM Coalition. The article tells about life in the village during the occupation.

‘Occupiers went on a rampage on March 27-28: they shot men of all ages indiscriminately’ A teacher from Bucha tells how she lost her husband and nephew
Articles - 30 August 2022

‘Occupiers went on a rampage on March 27-28: they shot men of all ages indiscriminately’ A teacher from Bucha tells how she lost her husband and nephew

Viktoria Klimtsova, 47, and her elderly mother lived in Bucha until it was liberated from the occupiers. However, at the beginning of April, they left for Cherkasy region as Viktoria had no reason to stay any longer. On March 28, her husband Oleh, who had refused to evacuate not wanting to give an inch of his native land to the Russians, was shot by the Russian military. The woman told ZMINA how her family, together with other residents of a five-story building on Sklozavodska Street, survived the occupation, how they supported the elderly and abandoned animals, and how the Russians massively murdered civilians, including her husband, in the last days of the occupation.

How independent lawyers are ‘silenced’ in Crimea
Articles - 22 July 2022

How independent lawyers are ‘silenced’ in Crimea

This article is about the charges brought against lawyers, the course of their trials, and the consequences these prosecutions will lead to

Human rights defender, journalist Maksym Butkevych gets captured, parents have no contact with him
News - 19 July 2022

Human rights defender, journalist Maksym Butkevych gets captured, parents have no contact with him

Maksym Butkevych devoted about 20 years of his life to human rights activities. In particular, he was a member of the board of the Ukrainian representative office of Amnesty International and the public council under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine

“The first trial against the russian soldier” as an indicator of the state justice system of Ukraine
Articles - 25 May 2022

“The first trial against the russian soldier” as an indicator of the state justice system of Ukraine

The Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG) is constantly updating the statistics of documented violations, as well as bringing charges to the Russian military and government authorities in absentia. However, it is the cases of detained prisoners of war (POW) that have the best prospects in the context of bringing the perpetrators to justice at the domesting level.

Revealing identity of Russian POWs: violation of their right to protection against ‘public curiosity’ or existence of ‘compelling public interest’?
Articles - 07 April 2022

Revealing identity of Russian POWs: violation of their right to protection against ‘public curiosity’ or existence of ‘compelling public interest’?

In order to analyze the validity of a possible violation of the relevant provision of GC III, it is necessary to carry out a detailed analysis of the mentioned term "public curiosity", as well as its forms.

At least six thousand people remain in “internats” on the occupied territories
News - 30 March 2022

At least six thousand people remain in “internats” on the occupied territories

Human rights defenders call upon Ministries and other responsible bodies to assess the situation with internats in the war-affected areas and organize the evacuation of those that can be evacuated as soon as possible. 

Evacuation of foreigners from Ukraine: is there really racial discrimination?
Articles - 03 March 2022

Evacuation of foreigners from Ukraine: is there really racial discrimination?

ZMINA spoke with Ukrainians and foreigners, who were the last to be evacuated, to find out if such discrimination was widespread, and to find out how to prevent it

In Crimea, law enforcers are searching the house of a large family from Bilohirsk district
News - 10 August 2017

In Crimea, law enforcers are searching the house of a large family from Bilohirsk district

One of the streets in Novoklenove village is blocked

Chiygoz’s judges refuse to attach the report of human rights defenders to the case
News - 24 July 2017

Chiygoz’s judges refuse to attach the report of human rights defenders to the case

Chiygoz challenged the court once again...

Only one person from more than 200 interrogated testified against Chiygoz in the court – Polozov
News - 07 July 2017

Only one person from more than 200 interrogated testified against Chiygoz in the court – Polozov

Even members of the “people’s militia” have not testified against Chiygoz

Court in Moscow Extended Sushchenko’s Detention for Another 3 Months
News - 27 June 2017

Court in Moscow Extended Sushchenko’s Detention for Another 3 Months

Ukrainian journalist managed to communicate with political prisoner