Genocidal practices of the Russian occupiers during Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine in the evaluations of international institutions and organizations
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Keywords

crimes against humanity
genocide
international humanitarian law
RussoUkrainian War
war crimes

How to Cite

Ilnytskyi, V. I. (2026). Genocidal practices of the Russian occupiers during Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine in the evaluations of international institutions and organizations. Scientific Papers of the Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsyiubynskyi State Pedagogical University Series History, 57, 210-222. https://doi.org/10.31652/2411-2143-2026-57-210-222

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to analyze the evaluations conducted by international organizations and institutions regarding the genocidal nature of the actions of Russian occupation forces in Ukraine during the full - scale war (2022 – 2026). The methodology of the research is based on the principles of historicism, scientific objectivity, and systematicity, as well as general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, generalization) and specialized historical methods (historical - genetic, historical - typological, historical - systemic, source criticism, and problem - chronological analysis). The scientific novelty consists in the fact that the positions of the UN, European institutions, research, and human rights organizations have been covered comprehensively for the first time. Conclusions. The analysis of expert opinions from international organizations and research centers demonstrates the formation of a broad international discourse on the genocidal nature of Russian aggression against Ukraine. A significant number of expert institutions, including the New Lines Institute, the Raoul Wallenberg Centre, the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, and the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health, directly point to the presence of signs of genocide or genocidal intent. At the same time, international investigative mechanisms, such as the UN Commission, take a more cautious position, recognizing large - scale war crimes and crimes against humanity, but emphasizing the need for further collection of evidence for the definitive legal qualification of genocide. Thus, the international expert discourse demonstrates a gradual evolution from stating massive violations of international humanitarian law to a deeper analysis of Russia’s genocidal practices in Ukraine. Although future legal assessments of these crimes will largely depend on the outcomes of international investigations and judicial processes, a substantial number of scholars and institutions already acknowledge compelling grounds to consider the actions of the Russian Federation in Ukraine as having a genocidal nature.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Vasyl I. Ilnytskyi

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