Summary of events that took place in Kharkiv and Kharkiv region during the first 90 days of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war (February 24 – May 24 2022)
The Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group is documenting international crimes (genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes) allegedly committed by the Russian occupiers in Kharkiv and Kharkiv oblast.
In this article we publish a summary of the events that took place in Kharkiv and Kharkiv region during the first 90 days of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war (February 24 – May 24, 2022). The information in this publication is approximate, based on the data we have collected, and requires clarification.
A detailed description of the events for the period from February 24 to May 24, 2022 and a link to the original sources of information is contained in the daily chronicles of events for this period.
Information collection is ongoing. We ask eyewitnesses to send us information in the attached form.
1. Information on civilian casualties
During the study period in the Kharkiv region we recorded a total of 335 episodes related to civilian casualties or violation of rights among the civilian population.
Kharkiv oblast
|
Type of casualties or violations |
Recorded episodes |
Number of victims |
|
Civilian death |
170 |
520 |
|
Injury |
144 |
640 |
|
Rape |
2 |
2 |
|
Violation of rights |
7 |
160 |
|
Disappearance of a person |
12 |
64 |
|
Total episodes |
335 |
1386 |
1.1. Information on casualties and injuries among the civilians
According to the data already recorded in our database, in the study period in total in Kharkiv oblast (including the city of Kharkiv) 520 civilians died from injuries during shelling and hostilities, at least 640 civilians were injured.
1.2. Information on disappearances of people, rape and other vilolations of human rights
According to the data already recorded in our database, in the study period in total in Kharkiv oblast (including the city of Kharkiv) the facts of alleged rape of at least 2 civilians were recorded.
Also according to the data collected and recorded by us, in the study period in total in Kharkiv oblast (including the city of Kharkiv) the facts of alleged disappearance of at least 64 persons were recorded.
We were also able to record in our database the information of alleged violation of rights of at least 160 civilians that happened during the study period in total in Kharkiv oblast (including the city of Kharkiv). Among other, we recorded alleged facts of forced mobilization of the population by Russian military, mass relocation of the civilian population to Russia, tortures etc.
2. Information on residential buildings and civilian infrastructure damaged by hostilities
According to the data already recorded in our database, in the study period in total in Kharkiv oblast (including the city of Kharkiv) in the study period at least 2597objects of civilian infrastructure were damaged as a result of artillery shelling and hostilities, including:
|
Type of objects |
Quantity |
|
Dwelling houses |
1484 |
|
Objects of educational and scientific purpose |
159 |
|
Medical facilities |
39 |
|
Civil infrastructure facilities |
24 |
|
Cultural and recreational facilities |
35 |
|
Religious objects |
17 |
|
Objects of entrepreneurship and commercial production |
285 |
|
Transport infrastructure facilities |
124 |
|
Infrastructure of housing and communal services |
40 |
|
Historical monuments |
19 |
| Farmlands, forests |
12 |
|
Bridges |
7 |
|
Civil vehicles |
351 |
|
Unknown objects |
1 |
|
Objects total |
2597 |
According to the report of Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov, as of May 23, 2022 since February 24 the Russian army ruined 3 482 buildings of various forms of ownership in Kharkiv, 2 482 of them are multi-apartmental building, 1 000 are the buildings of residential cooperatives and private households. Igor Terekhov stated that 492 residential buildings cannot be restored. Kharkiv Mayor also reported that 490 administrative buildings were damaged, including 109 schools, 98 kindergartens, 55 medical institutions, 46 cultural institutions, 14 higher education institutions, five schools etc.
3. Information on the types of events that were recorded in the study period
According to the data already recorded in our database, in Kharkiv oblast (including the city of Kharkiv) in the study period, at least the following events took place:
|
Event |
Episodes |
|
Artillery shelling (bombardment) |
1737 |
|
Firing from small arms |
19 |
|
Explosive device |
15 |
|
Damage caused by a vehicle |
1 |
|
Tortures, inhuman treatment |
1 |
|
Disappearance |
12 |
|
Unlawful detention |
2 |
|
Use of civilian population as a shield |
2 |
|
Appropriation of property of civilians |
4 |
|
Willful killing of a civilian |
4 |
|
Mass deportation of people to Russia |
3 |
|
Attack on a warehouse of humanitarian aid, humanitarian convoy, humanitarian mission or corridor |
3 |
|
Rape |
2 |
|
Enforced mobilization |
2 |
|
Occupation of a civilian building |
2 |
|
Not indicated |
10 |
4. Information on the work of humanitarian corridors, convoys and humanitarian aid points
According to the data already recorded in our database, in the study period in total in Kharkiv oblast (including the city of Kharkiv) we were able to record three episodes related to the capture or attack on a humanitarian convoy, as well as shelling of the humanitarian aid points.
In particular, there were reports of shelling of humanitarian aid points. On March 24, 2022: a shell hit the people who were standing in line for the humanitarian aid to a Nova Poshta office (6 people died, 15 were wounded). On March 25, 2022, the occupiers shelled the local hospital, where the humanitarian aid point was located (4 people were killed and 3 were injured).
In the study period in total in Kharkiv oblast (including the city of Kharkiv) we recorded two episodes of attacks on humanitarian corridors and shelling of the evacuation buses. In particular, it was reported that on April 14, 2022 Russian militaery fired at evacuation buses with civilians in an urban-type settlement Borova of Izyum district. According to the preliminary data, 7 people died. 27 more people were injured.
5. Information on the recorded facts which can be preliminarily classified as international crimes, allegedly committed by the Russian occupiers
According to the information that we collected, during the study period in Kharkiv oblast (including the city of Kharkiv) we recorded the following facts that can be preliminarily classified as international crimes, allegedly committed by the Russian occupiers:
|
Preliminary classification of an event |
Quantity |
|
RS 8 (2) (b) (ix). Damage or destruction of historical monuments, hospitals, religious buildings, education, science and art institutions |
198 |
|
RS 8 (2) (b) (v) Shelling of a settlement without consequences |
18 |
|
RS 8 (2) (b) (ii). Attack on a civilian object |
976 |
|
RS 8 (2) (b) (iv) Destruction or damage to property |
340 |
|
RS 8 (2) (a) (iv) Extensive destruction or appropriation of property |
23 |
|
RS 7 (1) (а) or 8 (2) (а) (i) Wilful killing of a civilian by a firearm or another weapon |
12 |
|
RS 8 (2) (а) (ііі) Wilful injuring of a civilian |
3 |
|
RS 7 (1) (d) or 8 (2) (а) (vii) or 8 (2) (b) (viii) Mass enforced transfer of people to Russia |
2 |
|
RS 7 (1) (i) Enforced disappearance of a person |
6 |
|
RS 7 (1) (f) or 8 (2) (а) (іі). Torture or inhuman treatment of civilians or military |
1 |
|
RS 8 (2) (a) (viii) Hostage taking |
1 |
|
RS 8 (2) (b) (iii) Attack on a warehouse of humanitarian aid, humanitarian convoy, humanitarian mission or corridor |
10 |
|
RS 8 (2) (b) (iv) Death of a person due to shelling |
123 |
|
RS 8 (2) (b) (iv) Injury due to shelling |
112 |
|
RS 8 (2) (b) (xx) Employing weapons that cause superfluous damage or indiscriminate suffering of people, or causes indiscriminate destruction, or is prohibited by international agreements |
95 |
|
RS 8 (2) (b) (xxii) Rape |
1 |
|
RS 8 (2) (b) (xxiii) The use of an object or people as a shield |
2 |
|
RS 8 (2) (b) (xxv) Obstructing humanitarian missions in providing food or water, destruction of supplies of food or drinking water |
4 |
|
RS 7 (1) (е). Unlawful arrest and detention of a civilian or military |
5 |
|
RS 8 (2) (a) (v). Enforced mobilization |
2 |
|
RS 8 (2) (b) (xx). Mining of settlements or individual civil objects with anti-infantry mines, anti-tank mines, trap mines, the use of remote mining systems. |
3 |
These data require clarification. The category names in the “Preliminary classification of an event” column is in no case an accurate description of an international crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and is provided only for the information purpose. Only the court is authorized tom provide the final classification of the event.
Conclusions
The analysis of the collected information gives grounds to claim that there were deaths and injuries of civilians, destruction and damage of civilian objects – dwelling buildings and infrastructure facilities due to wilful shelling and indiscriminate shelling.
The analysed information also gives reasons to claim probable incidents of enforced disappearances, captures of civilians, violations of humanitarian corridors and attacks on humanitarian aid supplies and convoys, volunteers, looting, killings and others.
We believe that such acts can be pre-classified as crimes against humanity under Article 7 para. (1) (а), (d), (е), (f), (i) and as war crimes under Article 8 para. (2) (a) (i), (іі), (ііі), (iv), (v), (vii), (viii), (b) (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (viii), (ix), (xx), (xxii), (xxiii), (xxv).
Information collection is ongoing. If you can provide additional information, please use the form.
The author is grateful to the whole team of KHPG, without the joint coordinated and dedicated work of which this summary would be impossible.