What’s Really Happening to Civilians in Russian-Occupied Ukraine

In this episode of Off the Record, Canadian Ambassador Natalka Cmoc speaks with Danielle Bell, Head of the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU).

They discuss the UN’s latest report on the treatment of civilians detained during Russia’s full-scale invasion, exposing widespread torture, illegal detentions, and human rights violations in occupied territories. Bell explains how her team of 85 experts – three-quarters of them Ukrainians – document abuses near the front lines and work to ensure accountability, justice, and truth for victims.

The conversation also touches on mental health amid war, the importance of global awareness, and the crucial role of Ukrainian civil society in protecting human rights.