U.N. documents more than 1,000 sexual violence cases during Russia’s full-scale war

The report is based on confidential interviews with hundreds of victims and survivors of sexual violence committed by both sides, as well as other relevant materials, including court documents and official records.

The United Nations said 89% of the documented cases of sexual violence were committed by representatives of Russian authorities, including members of the armed forces, the penitentiary service and the national security service. The remaining 11% involved acts by representatives of Ukrainian authorities, the report said.

Most survivors of sexual violence were men, particularly those in detention, the report said. Women and children were also subjected to sexual violence, primarily in occupied Ukrainian territory.

The U.N. said the documented violations included gang rape, rape, genital mutilation, electric shocks to and beatings of the genitals, as well as other sexually degrading acts.

The youngest documented rape survivor was a 4-year-old girl, while the oldest was an 82-year-old woman, the report said. According to the U.N., representatives of Russian authorities perpetrated the sexual violence in both cases.

Many male survivors of sexual violence reported being subjected to electric shocks to their genitals using a Soviet military field telephone known as a “tapik.”

“The application of electric shocks to the genitals using a ‘tapik’ or stun gun was a common form of sexual violence against Ukrainian prisoners of war and detained medical personnel: 155 people (27%) were subjected to this form of violence at least once,” the report said.

The report said threats of sexual violence accounted for nearly half of the violations attributed to Ukrainian authorities against Russian prisoners of war and POWs from third countries.

The remaining violations included forced nudity; electric shocks to and beatings of the genitals; electric shocks and beatings while victims were naked; sexually degrading treatment; two cases of sexual assault; and two attempted rapes.