European Court of Human Rights Issues Judgment in Ukraine v. Russia Case

Strategic Insights -

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued its judgment in the inter-State case of Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia, finding multiple violations of human rights committed by Russia in Ukraine. The judgment is seen as significant for Ukrainian citizens who suffered from Russia's actions, particularly those who lodged applications with the Court before 16 September 2022. The ECHR has received an exceptionally large number of individual applications from Ukrainian citizens, with nearly 7,000 pending cases.

Key Takeaways:

  • The ECHR has received over 7,000 individual applications from Ukrainian citizens affected by Russia's crimes in Ukraine.
  • The Court temporarily suspended its examination of these applications to deliver a judgment in the interstate case between Ukraine, the Netherlands, and Russia.
  • Following the judgment, the ECHR will begin reviewing individual applications from Ukrainian citizens that had been held in abeyance.
  • After 16 September 2022, the ECHR lost jurisdiction over Russia, meaning it cannot accept or consider individual applications lodged after that date.
  • Submitting individual claims solely to the ECHR is no longer meaningful for Ukrainian citizens, as the Court no longer has jurisdiction to adjudicate them.
  • Other jurisdictions, such as certain UN bodies, may provide avenues for recourse for affected individuals.

Statistics:

  • The ECHR has received nearly 7,000 individual applications from Ukrainian citizens affected by Russia's crimes in Ukraine since 2014.
  • The Court has temporarily suspended its examination of these applications to deliver a judgment in the interstate case.
  • The judgment will be reviewed by the ECHR after 9 July 2025.

Sources:

  • Margarita Sokorenko, Ukraine's Commissioner for the European Court of Human Rights
  • Ukrinform
  • European Court of Human Rights
  • Ministry of Justice of Ukraine
  • President of the Court
  • Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights
  • The judgment, Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia, was issued on 9 July 2025.