GENEVA, October 8 (RIA Novosti) - Kiev-controlled forces continue to violate the principles of international humanitarian law, according to a UN report on the human rights situation in Ukraine from August 18 to September 16, examined by RIA Novosti on Wednesday.
"During the reporting period, international humanitarian law, including the principles of military necessity, distinction, proportionality and precaution continued to be violated by armed groups and some units and volunteer battalions under the control of the Ukrainian armed forces," the report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, based on the work of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, read.
The 37-page document also contains testimonial evidence of cases of maltreatment in the Ukrainian custody, such as "beatings, poor nutrition and lack of medical assistance." According to the Ukrainian Security Service, as many as 1,000 individuals have been detained on suspicion of being "militants and subversives" from the beginning of military operation in April to August 25.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine expressed particular concern over "the enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention and ill-treatment allegedly perpetrated by members of the volunteer battalions, in particular by 'Aydar', 'Dnipro-1', 'Kyiv-1' and 'Kyiv-2'."
Armed hostilities between pro-Kiev forces and independence supporters of southeastern Ukraine have killed over 3,500 people since April. On September 5, the sides reached a ceasefire agreement, which came into effect immediately. Later the same month, a meeting of a trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine in Minsk resulted in an adoption of a nine-point memorandum, specifying the implementation of the ceasefire.
