UN accuses Russia of committing crimes against humanity in Ukraine

The head of a U.N.-backed team of independent experts told the Human Rights Council in Geneva Wednesday that Russia has committed crimes against humanity as part of its war in Ukraine.

Erik Møse, the chairman of the Independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, told the 47-member country body that its latest findings of enforced disappearances come on top of previous evidence it found that Russian authorities were responsible for torture in connection with the war.

“Large numbers of civilians were detained and subsequently transferred to detention facilities in occupied areas of Ukraine, or deported to the Russian Federation," said Møse. "They were subjected to additional grave violations and crimes, including torture and sexual violence,” he added.

Russia’s delegation did not attend Wednesday’s hearing at the U.N.'s Geneva headquarters.