Russia’s Pipeline of Persecution: A Systematic Campaign of Crimes Against Humanity in Occupied Ukraine
By Dr Jade McGlynn and Scott Martin
Key Points:
Russia operates a pipeline of state-engineered persecution against Ukrainian civilians in occupied areas. The Russian system constitutes seven interlocking crimes against humanity: persecution; imprisonment/other severe deprivation of liberty; torture; enforced disappearance; deportation/forcible transfer; other inhumane acts; and sexual violence. These are not isolated abuses but elements of a single machinery of repression that underpins Russia’s occupation policy.
Since the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, thousands of innocent civilians have been detained by Russian authorities. Many of them were tortured and went through enforced disappearance, deportations, and illegal imprisonment. Each of these acts – persecution, torture, enforced disappearance, deportation, sexual violence, illegal imprisonment, and other inhumane acts – serves as a link in this pipeline, mutually reinforcing the others to destroy civic life and consolidate control in Russian occupied territories. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) outlines that the Russian Federation has applied torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment in a “systematic and widespread manner against civilians in places of detention.”
Without a robust international response, there is a significant risk of international law being undermined, leading to further acts constituting crimes against humanity in the future. Each recommended action should be understood as a response not merely to isolated violations but to an entire system of crimes against humanity: a deliberate, state-run apparatus that requires dismantling through diplomatic, legal, and humanitarian means.
- Diplomatic and Political Pressure: Elevate the issue of civilian detainees as a standing diplomatic priority, applying targeted sanctions to ensure accountability and engaging third-party mediators.
- Support for Coordination and Advocacy: Support the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (CHQ) and related Ukrainian agencies and back Ukrainian and international human rights NGOs.
- Public and Media Advocacy: Raise the profile of civilian detainees in U.K. media and international forums and support cultural and public diplomacy campaigns.
- Humanitarian and Legal Assistance: Provide medical, psychological, and reintegration support and assist with legal documentation and evidence collection. Given that each detainee is a victim of a broader pattern of persecution, assistance programs should be framed as responses to crimes against humanity, not mere humanitarian relief.
- Multilateral Action and Long-Term Justice: Champion international accountability and create a dedicated UN-anchored Contact Group (UK-initiated, multi-state coalition feeding into UN mechanisms).
There is a moral and ethical imperative on the international community to respond to these crimes. Russian secrecy around the detainees and consistent refusal of access to independent monitors make the situation even more challenging. In the immediate term, the most urgent priority is securing the release of those still in detention. Achieving this will likely require creative and flexible diplomacy – leveraging allies, engaging in prisoner exchanges, or even involving neutral third parties to negotiate the civilians’ release.
