UN documents 1,000 cases of sexual violence in the Russian-Ukrainian war, with Russian side responsible for 89% of them

The United Nations has reported 1,004 confirmed cases of conflict-related sexual violence linked to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Russian forces responsible for 89% of these incidents. The data, compiled by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), reveals that Russian military personnel and security forces were responsible for the majority of these acts.

The report, published on September 18, 2026, highlights that many of the survivors did not report the violence they experienced or that the Russian authorities did not permit UN observers to investigate in occupied territories or among Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees. Of the 1,004 victims, 725 were men, 151 were women, 14 were girls, and two were boys.

Among the victims, 572 Ukrainian service members and detained medical personnel reported sexual violence, with 63% of them detailing their experiences. The UN recorded sexual violence against Ukrainian captives in 83 official places of detention and 81 unofficial or transit facilities across six regions of Ukraine and 25 regions of Russia.

Outside places of detention, the UN documented 95 cases of sexual violence against civilians. The Ukrainian side was found responsible for 112 cases of sexual violence against 98 men and 14 women. The UN stresses that these figures do not represent the full extent of the violence due to survivors' reluctance to report out of trauma, fear, and potential retaliation.