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Human rights

Russia's Ethnic Cleansing Policy in Occupied Ukraine: International Community Urged to Act

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A report from Ukrinform, citing a Guildhall, has highlighted the Russian Federation's policy of ethnic cleansing in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The policy, which involves the eviction of Ukrainians and their assimilation, is a clear violation of international law and amounts to genocide. The report emphasizes that the recent decree by Russian President Vladimir Putin, which obliges Ukrainian citizens in the occupied territories to obtain a Russian passport or leave by September 10, 2025, is the final stage of this policy. Analysts note that forced deportation and eviction are criminalized actions under international law, and that the destruction of a group's language, culture, identity, and self-identification can be considered part of a genocidal policy.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Russian Federation's policy of ethnic cleansing in occupied Ukraine is a clear violation of international law and amounts to genocide, according to the Geneva Convention (IV) on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949), the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (Articles 6, 7, 8), and the UN Office for the Prevention of Genocide.
  • The recent decree by Russian President Vladimir Putin obliging Ukrainian citizens in the occupied territories to obtain a Russian passport or leave by September 10, 2025, is the final stage of this policy, leaving Ukrainians no choice but eviction or assimilation.
  • The analysts emphasize that forced deportation and eviction are criminalized actions under international law and qualify as ethnic cleansing.
  • The report analyzes the policy of assimilation of Ukrainians through the forced elimination of Ukrainian identity, which is a form of genocide under international law, as recognized by the UN Convention on the Prevention of the Crime of Genocide (Article II, paragraphs 'b' and 'e').
  • The experts emphasize that the destruction of a group's language, culture, identity, and self-identification can be considered part of a genocidal policy if such actions are committed with the intent to destroy the group as such.
  • The Fourth Geneva Convention (1949) and UN Security Council Resolution No. 1674 (2006) place the protection of human rights at the heart of conflict resolution, and this principle must be enshrined in all negotiation frameworks.
  • International humanitarian law imposes clear obligations on occupying powers to safeguard the rights of civilians, emphasizing the need for international control over the observance of human rights in the temporarily occupied territories.
  • The UK Ministry of Defense has reported that 3.5 million Ukrainians in the TOT have received Russian passports, threatening confiscation of property and restriction of social services, as well as withholding vital medicines without a Russian passport.

Statistics:

  • 3.5 million Ukrainians in the TOT have received Russian passports, according to the UK Ministry of Defense.
  • September 10, 2025, is the deadline for Ukrainian citizens in the occupied territories to obtain a Russian passport or leave.

Sources:

  • Ukrinform, citing a Guildhall
  • Geneva Convention (IV) on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949)
  • Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (Articles 6, 7, 8)
  • UN Office for the Prevention of Genocide
  • UN Convention on the Prevention of the Crime of Genocide (Article II, paragraphs 'b' and 'e')
  • Fourth Geneva Convention (1949)
  • UN Security Council Resolution No. 1674 (2006)
  • UK Ministry of Defense

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