The UN has extended for a year the mandate of the Independent International Commission to investigate all violations of international law in the field of human rights, international humanitarian law and related crimes in the context of Russian armed aggression against Ukraine.

‘An important element of the resolution is the confirmation of the need to ensure responsibility for violations of human rights, international humanitarian law and the most serious international crimes, therefore, Ukraine, together with its partners, will continue work on creating a special tribunal to prosecute the Russian leadership for the crime of aggression’, Ukraine’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

In connection with the Commission’s investigation of the facts of the illegal forcible transfer and deportation of civilians, in particular, children, from the occupied territories of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, the resolution contains a call to Russia to stop such actions and to allow relevant international human rights and humanitarian mechanisms to reach these persons.

The UN Human Rights Council appealed to the Russian Federation with a demand to grant representatives of international mechanisms immediate access to all prisoners of war, forcibly detained and deported people.

‘Ukraine expresses its gratitude to the member states of the UN Human Rights Council, which supported this document, because the continuation of the Commission’s independent investigation and documentation of flagrant violations of human rights and international humanitarian law and international crimes will contribute to bringing Russian war criminals to justice and ensuring justice for the victims of Russian aggression’, the foreign ministry concluded.