European Court Rules Russia Committed Widespread Human Rights Violations in Ukraine

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has delivered a landmark ruling finding Russia responsible for widespread human rights abuses in Ukraine from 2014 through 2022, including the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17, extrajudicial killings, torture, sexual violence used as a weapon of war, and forced displacement. The court emphasized that these violations went beyond military objectives and constituted manifestly unlawful conduct on a massive scale, severely undermining international legal order and democratic principles. Russia refused to participate in the proceedings and declared the judgment null and void, while Ukraine hailed the ruling as historic and an undeniable victory. The judgment also condemned Russia for failing to investigate incidents like MH17 or cooperate with the court, causing further suffering to victims' families. Experts analyzing the decision highlighted its potential ramifications for international justice and accountability amid the ongoing conflict. The court’s findings mark an unprecedented condemnation of Russia’s actions and reinforce international legal standards against state-sponsored atrocities.