The ongoing Russian occupation of Ukrainian territories has created a little-reported humanitarian catastrophe marked by systematic human rights violations, forced deportations, and the suppression of Ukrainian identity. Simultaneously, a resilient resistance movement-comprising both civil disobedience and armed insurgencies-has emerged to challenge Russian control.
This report synthesizes verified findings from international organizations, eyewitness accounts, and open-source intelligence to outline the conditions faced by civilians and the structure of resistance efforts.
Reliable information on the grim realities of occupation, any military occupation but certainly in the current case of what Ukrainians have to endure, serves as a reminder of the price the Ukrainian people and leadership would have to pay in case a “peace” – or ceasefire – “deal” would have to imply territorial concessions, and hence the political unacceptability of any such concessions. Hence the legitimate – and brave – resistance offered.
Human Rights Abuses and Civilian Suffering
Arbitrary Detentions and Torture
Russian forces and occupation authorities have institutionalized arbitrary detentions, torture, and enforced disappearances to suppress dissent. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine documented 1,761 civilian casualties in occupied territories between January and March 2024, with 91% occurring in areas under Ukrainian control due to intensified frontline hostilities4. However, in occupied regions, Russian forces targeted perceived threats-local officials, journalists, and activists-through widespread detentions often accompanied by torture. Methods include beatings, electric shocks, and psychological abuse, as reported by the Ukrainian Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIHR) based on testimonies from 138 freed prisoners516. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) confirmed these practices are ”widespread and systematic,” implicating Russian military and security agencies1222.
Suppression of Ukrainian Identity
Russia has enacted policies to erase Ukrainian culture and language. In occupied territories, schools have been forced to adopt Russian curricula, Ukrainian media banned, and public displays of national symbols criminalized1112. The OHCHR reported the closure of Ukrainian-language schools in Zaporizhzhia and the destruction of cultural landmarks in Mariupol12. These measures align with the Kremlin’s Russkiy Mir ideology, which seeks to assimilate occupied populations into Russian identity311.
Forced Deportations and Child Abductions
One of the most egregious crimes is the mass abduction of Ukrainian children. As of 2025, Russia has deported an estimated 307,000 children to camps or foster families in occupied territories and Russia, where they undergo Russification616. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s Children’s Rights Commissioner, for orchestrating these deportations-a potential act of genocide under the 1948 Genocide Convention624. Parents separated from their children face bureaucratic barriers to reunification, with many children given Russian citizenship against their will611.
Forced Conscription and Military Exploitation
Mobilization of Ukrainian Civilians
Russia has conscripted Ukrainians in occupied territories into its military, violating international law. In Kherson Oblast, men aged 18–30 were forcibly drafted into the Southern Military District in late 2024, with similar measures reported in Donetsk and Luhansk711. These conscripts are often used as ”cannon fodder” to expose Ukrainian positions, leading to high casualties7. The Ukrainian Ombudsman estimates 16,000 civilians are illegally detained in occupied areas, many subjected to torture to extract compliance516.
Economic Exploitation
Occupied regions have seen rampant resource extraction, with agricultural produce, industrial equipment, and cultural artifacts looted for export to Russia1224. The OHCHR documented the seizure of 12,000 tons of grain from Kherson in 2024, exacerbating food insecurity12. Civilian infrastructure, including energy grids, has been repurposed for military use, leaving populations without heating or electricity during harsh winters418.
Health and Humanitarian Crises
Collapse of Medical Systems
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported severe shortages of healthcare workers in frontline areas, with 6 million refugees and 3.5 million internally displaced persons straining remaining facilities8. Attacks on 78 energy sites between January and July 2024 crippled hospitals, leading to power outages of up to 12 hours daily4. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) provided emergency generators and medical supplies to Kharkiv hospitals, but access remains limited in Russian-controlled zones1814.
Psychological Trauma and Mental Health
Civilians in occupied territories endure pervasive trauma from shelling, filtration camps, and family separations. The WHO highlighted a surge in PTSD, depression, and anxiety, particularly among children exposed to violence8. Mental health services are virtually nonexistent in occupied areas, with Russian authorities prohibiting Ukrainian NGOs from operating1224.
Civil Resistance Movements
The Yellow Ribbon Campaign
Originating in Kherson in March 2022, the Yellow Ribbon movement symbolizes nonviolent resistance. Activists distribute pro-Ukrainian leaflets, paint graffiti, and organize boycotts of Russian-administered ”referendums”23. Despite arrests and torture, the movement has spread to Crimea and Donbas, using encrypted apps to coordinate actions317. A founder, Ivan, described how residents initially blocked Russian tanks with their bodies, fostering a sustained culture of defiance3.
Information Warfare and Sabotage
Civil resisters engage in covert operations to disrupt occupation logistics. This includes leaking Russian troop movements to Ukrainian intelligence, tampering with rail lines, and hacking occupation databases215. In Melitopol, partisans destroyed a fuel depot used by Russian forces, temporarily halting military convoys23. Such acts are decentralized but strategically aligned with Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate1519.
Armed Insurgencies and Partisan Warfare
Structure and Tactics
Ukraine’s resistance network blends special forces, veterans, and local volunteers. The National Resistance Center, established in March 2022, coordinates sabotage missions while maintaining operational secrecy215. Partisans avoid direct confrontations, instead targeting collaborators, supply depots, and communication lines1923. For example, a December 2023 attack in Melitopol eliminated Russian personnel and disabled a fuel tanker, delaying reinforcements to the front23.
Impact on Russian Operations
Insurgent activities have degraded Russian logistics and morale. The Atlantic Council noted that partisan raids in Crimea disrupted S-400 missile systems, forcing redeployments15. Additionally, assassinations of occupation officials-such as the killing of a Russian-appointed mayor in Berdyansk-have instilled fear among collaborators19. These efforts complement conventional military campaigns, diverting Russian resources from frontline offensives1519.
International Response and Legal Accountability
Humanitarian Evacuations
The ICRC facilitated the evacuation of 500+ civilians from conflict zones in 2024, including children and the elderly1014. However, Russia has blocked access to detention centers, hindering efforts to verify prisoner conditions1222. Negotiations for POW exchanges remain stalled, with Ukraine accusing Russia of violating the Geneva Conventions1422.
Legal Prosecutions
The ICC and UN have mobilized to document war crimes. The March 2025 UN report confirmed crimes against humanity in occupied territories, citing ”systematic attacks on civilians”24. National courts in Germany and Spain have initiated trials under universal jurisdiction, prosecuting Russian soldiers for atrocities in Bucha and Mariupol24. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s ”Children of War” platform tracks deported minors, providing evidence for future ICC cases616.
Conclusion
The conditions in Russian-occupied Ukraine reveal a deliberate strategy to dismantle Ukrainian society through terror, cultural erasure, and resource exploitation. Yet, the resilience of civil and armed resistance movements underscores the population’s refusal to submit. International actors must intensify sanctions against Russia, enforce accountability through tribunals, and expand humanitarian aid to frontline regions. The survival of Ukraine’s identity-and the safety of its civilians-depends on global solidarity against occupation.