"We did it": UN adds Russia to 'list of shame' over sexual violence against detainees and POWs
The United Nations has for the first time added Russia and Israel to its annual blacklist of parties responsible for conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
Despite limited access for international investigators, the UN reported 310 verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence against prisoners of war and civilian detainees in Russia and in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. Most of the victims were men, according to The Washington Post.
Source: The Washington Post
Details: "We did it. I often heard that it was impossible, but there were people who believed in us and made every effort to make the impossible possible.
For the state, this is a major mechanism for fighting Russia in international forums. But this is only the first step towards real justice and holding perpetrators accountable," Oleksii Sivak, founder of the NGO Alumni, which supports male survivors of torture, told Ukrainska Pravda. Zhyttia (Life).
Since late 2024, the Alumni network has been advocating for this decision together with other organisations representing former prisoners and torture survivors, including SEMA Ukraine, 29 December and Numo, Sestry!.
The report also states that Ukrainian human rights groups documented at least 31 cases of sexual violence against prisoners of war and civilian detainees. However, the actual number of such crimes is believed to be significantly higher.
Russia's UN ambassador Vasily Nebenzya described the allegations of conflict-related sexual violence as "groundless lies that once again portray Russia as a villain".
Overall, the 35-page UN report documents cases of sexual violence in more than ten countries around the world. It lists 77 state and non-state actors responsible for such crimes.
Israel was also added to the blacklist for the first time due to sexual violence committed against Palestinians between 2023 and 2025. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said the decision reflected the UN's "longstanding institutional hostility towards Israel".
Back in 2024, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned both Israel and Russia that they could be added to the list because of documented violations.
In addition to Israeli and Russian armed forces, the list also includes Hamas militants, who were added following the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel.
According to the UN, the number of cases of conflict-related sexual violence worldwide has increased by 87% over the past two years.
Background: At the end of 2024, Ukrainian survivors of wartime sexual violence sent a collective letter to António Guterres urging him to add Russia to the so-called "list of shame", one of the mechanisms for holding states accountable for such crimes.
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