ECHR finds Russia guilty of mass crimes against Ukraine

On Wednesday, July 9, 2025, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights issued a historic ruling in the case of Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia. The court ruled in favor of almost all the claims filed by Ukraine and found Russia responsible for numerous, widespread, and systemic human rights violations committed during the occupation of Ukrainian territories since 2014 and the ongoing full-scale aggression since 2022.

The ruling was published on the website of the European Court of Human Rights.

Ukraine succeeded in getting the ECHR to recognize Russia responsible for crimes

The ECHR found Russia guilty of violating several key provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights, including: Articles 2 and 3, which guarantee the right to life and prohibit torture; Article 1 of Protocol No. 1, which protects property rights; and Article 8, which guarantees the right to respect for private and family life.

Four interstate applications were brought together in this case: two from Ukraine concerning human rights violations, torture, forced labor in Donbas, and the illegal removal of children in 2014; one from the Netherlands concerning the downing of flight MH17; and one concerning large-scale violations during the full-scale invasion. The court recognized jurisdiction over complaints regarding events prior to September 16, 2022, when Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe.

The court's decision states that Russia's actions aim to destroy Ukrainian statehood. The court documented the arbitrary killing of civilians and prisoners of war, as well as torture, inhumane treatment, and the illegal deprivation of liberty. The court also found evidence of systemic Russification through education, filtering practices, the deportation of children and adults, and the suppression of Ukrainian identity.

The court also found that the Russian Buk anti-aircraft missile system was used to shoot down MH17, constituting another gross violation of human rights.

The ECHR has received sufficient evidence

The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine called the decision unprecedented in ECHR practice because it records numerous crimes of the Russian Federation and emphasizes their scale and threat to Europe.

"Over the course of 10 years working on this case, the Ministry of Justice has collected and submitted a substantial amount of evidence to the ECHR. Thanks to this monumental effort, Ukraine has achieved a victory in the international arena and taken another significant step towards ensuring Russia's comprehensive accountability," the Ministry of Justice said in a statement.

Notably, Russia's representatives were absent when the court announced its decision.

Earlier, Former New Zealand Defense Minister Ron Mark, now mayor of Carterton, personally travelled to Ukraine despite a government ban to support the people resisting Russia's attack.

It was reported that if the US Congress approves Senator Lindsey Graham's sanctions bill against Russia, the invaders will lose billions of USD.