The United Nations has officially added both Russian military forces and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to its blacklist for sexual violence committed during armed conflict. This decision is part of a broader report released on May 28, which details instances of sexual violence in various global conflicts.
The UN’s 35-page report, published by Israel’s mission to the UN, identifies 77 governmental and non-governmental organizations from 12 countries suspected of involvement in sexual violence during conflicts. Notably, the report indicates a significant increase in reported cases of such violence in 2025 compared to 2024.
This marks the first time Israeli forces have been included in the blacklist due to allegations regarding their treatment of Palestinian detainees. Israeli authorities have denied these accusations. Similarly, Russian military and security forces have also been listed for the first time this year for sexual violence against both prisoners of war and Ukrainian civilians.
The report emphasizes that Russian authorities have consistently denied UN human rights investigators access, yet they managed to verify 310 instances of sexual violence related to the conflict, occurring in both temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and within Russia. The majority of the victims identified in these cases are men.
Additionally, Ukrainian human rights advocates have documented 31 cases of sexual violence linked to the conflict, affecting both prisoners of war and civilians, with most incidents occurring prior to 2025.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that the UN’s decision to officially list Russian military personnel and security forces is an “important international recognition” of Russia’s accountability for these crimes. However, he noted that this recognition is insufficient without further “decisive actions” from the international community.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres had previously warned both Russia and Israel that they could be added to this blacklist.
Representatives from both countries have expressed outrage over their inclusion in the blacklist and criticized Guterres. Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya called the allegations “groundless lies and fabrications” that portray Russia as a villain, a narrative he claims the UN perpetuates. He also mentioned that Russia is documenting and preparing a report on how Ukrainians treat Russian prisoners of war.
In response to Israel’s inclusion, Israeli UN representative Danny Danon stated, “We are done with you,” referring to the UN Secretary-General.
On May 13, Lubinets reported that since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 363 criminal cases have been opened concerning sexual violence committed by Russian soldiers, with the youngest victim being just four years old.
The UN has officially included Russian and Israeli military forces in its blacklist for sexual violence during armed conflict, marking a significant acknowledgment of these allegations. The report highlights a troubling increase in such incidents and calls for greater international action against these violations.
Source: Associated Press