The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 October 2026.
Deputy Ambassador James Ford highlighted reports of Russia’s violations of international law, including torture, enforced disappearances and the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children. He reaffirmed support for accountability mechanisms and urged Russia to agree an unconditional ceasefire and pursue a just and lasting peace.
Thank you, Moderator.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine continues to inflict immense suffering on civilians.
More than four years after the start of the full-scale invasion, evidence assembled by OSCE/ODIHR, successive OSCE Moscow Mechanism expert missions, the United Nations and other independent bodies continues to paint a deeply disturbing picture. This reporting documents the Russian Federation’s persistent violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
OSCE/ODIHR has recorded accounts of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture and ill-treatment, conflict-related sexual violence, and the fabricated prosecution of Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war. It has also documented systematic restrictions on fundamental rights in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, alongside the humanitarian consequences of Russia’s attacks on populated areas and civilian infrastructure.
Successive OSCE Moscow Mechanism expert missions have reinforced these findings. Experts have documented Russia’s unlawful transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children, efforts to alter their identity, and programmes of militarisation and indoctrination. They have also reported widespread torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war, as well as allegations of executions, sexual violence and the denial of protections required under international law.
Moderator, the international community has not forgotten Bucha. It has not forgotten Irpin. Nor has it forgotten the countless communities across Ukraine where civilians have suffered as a result of Russia’s aggression.
Today, that suffering continues.
Russia has now intensified its attacks on Ukrainian cities to unprecedented levels. August saw record numbers of jet-powered drone attacks and near-record numbers of ballistic missile strikes. July and August brought the two highest monthly civilian casualty totals of 2026. In the first eight months of this year, civilian casualties rose by 55 per cent compared with the same period last year.
As winter approaches, Russia has openly signalled its intention to intensify large-scale strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Millions of civilians once again face attacks that threaten to deprive them of electricity, heating and essential services.
The United Kingdom remains committed to accountability. We will continue to work with Ukraine to support efforts to document violations and preserve evidence, including of the over 260,000 recorded alleged war crimes. We will also continue to pursue justice through international and domestic mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court, the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression and the Register of Damage.
The background context for this growing humanitarian suffering is clear. Ukraine has repeatedly demonstrated its readiness for peace. But Russia has instead chosen to intensify its attacks.
The United Kingdom calls again for Russia: to agree to a full and unconditional ceasefire; to enter – in good faith – into serious negotiations; and to commit to a just and lasting peace – ending the dire humanitarian consequences of its war against Ukraine.