A newly published investigation led by international human rights and law firm Global Rights Compliance (GRC), has revealed starvation tactics, amongst other violations used by Russian soldiers, designed to break Ukrainian people.
GRC’s established Starvation Mobile Justice Team has been working in partnership with Ukraine’s Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG) since January 2023. The new evidence has been uncovered following allegations of starvation tactics used by Russian forces in Chernihiv, a northern region that came under siege in the initial stages of the invasion. The attacks include widespread shelling of residential areas, hospitals, and supermarkets, as well as an incident in March 2022, where twenty innocent civilians lost their lives as a result of a direct bread queue attack. The findings indicate that a track record of “repeated and/or coordinated attacks resulting in objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population being targeted” has been established, according to Global Rights Compliance Partner and head of the team, Catriona Murdoch.
The dedicated Starvation Mobile Justice Team is the first-of-its kind, made up of international war crime experts who have access to rapidly deploy around the country to assist Ukraine’s investigators. The findings contribute to the growing evidence of other starvation-related tactics that are being used across Ukraine. GRC’s priority is to ensure the highest number of perpetrators are brought to account, so that Ukrainian victims seek the justice that they deserve.
The Communication Group supported the publication of the Starvation Mobile Justice Team’s initial investigation by executing a carefully planned media campaign, preparing, selling-in and distributing a dedicated press release, and raising the profile of the team’s work by securing coverage across national and international media including Forbes, CNBC, The i, The Daily Express and CBS News.
