Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Used as a Tool of War

UN investigators documented at least 86 cases of conflict-related sexual violence by December 2022 — including rape, gang rape, and forced public stripping — the large majority attributed to Russian armed forces and police. In Kherson region specifically, the UN Commission of Inquiry documented Russian soldiers raping women aged 19 to 83, frequently combined with severe beatings, strangling, and mock executions. The UN's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict stated Russia was using rape as part of its "military strategy." A 2024 CNN investigation additionally documented widespread sexual violence against male detainees and POWs in occupied areas.