Ukraine: Four Years Since the Russian Invasion
Four years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Human Rights Program (HRP) Director Carrie Walling and student researcher Katherine Schick condemned the ongoing aggression against Ukraine, as well as the Russian Federation’s violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law in its conduct of the war. Together, they have created a fact sheet, Human Rights Implications of the Ukraine War (links to external document), that explains the conflict from an international human rights perspective. The goal: help students understand the experiences of civilians and the legal impact of the ongoing war. Walling explains that “international human rights law applies at all times, even in the context of armed conflict. During war, international humanitarian law provides an additional layer of protection for civilians caught in the crosshairs of conflict.”
Schick, an undergraduate researcher with the Human Rights Program’s Rights ColLaboratory, researches international crimes and international accountability mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice. When asked about why the war matters for people outside of Ukraine, Schick replied, “I cannot stress enough that Russia's invasion of Ukraine was illegal, and Ukrainians continue to face gross human rights violations that have destroyed communities. Under no circumstances should Russia gain territory and evade accountability for these crimes. That would set a dangerous precedent that countries can use military force to claim land at drastic human costs.” Indeed, the United Nations Charter prohibits aggression against countries. Furthermore, many of today’s human rights treaties were created in response to the terrors of World War II. Schick believes that these treaties are as important today as they were when they were created. “Their purpose is to prevent the invasions and rights violations similar to those of past governments, which resulted in millions of deaths. We must preserve the rights to self-determination and territorial sovereignty, as well as accountability, that were fought so hard for.”.
Walling notes that while we remember the people of Ukraine and their struggle for freedom this week, it is also important to remember the people in Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, and other places where civilians are experiencing war crimes, crimes against humanity, and attempts at genocide.
Learn more. Read the fact sheet, Human Rights Implications of the Ukraine War. Listen to the podcast, Power & Purpose with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk on Justice, Dignity, and the Power of Ordinary People. Read Katherine Schick’s blog, “Dear World Leaders, Ukrainians Still Have Rights”, on the HRP blog platform, Human Writes, where University of Minnesota students express, address, and advocate for issues relating to human rights in the United States and around the world. Also check out Skylar Strudwick’s blog, “Protecting Ukrainian Identity Through Dance,” where she describes how dance can be used to preserve Ukraine’s cultural identity.
