UNRIC Library Backgrounder: Ukraine (pre 2022)

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For information as of January 2022 – click here

UN Entities

    • Reports on the human rights situation in Ukraine (starting April 2014): https://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/ukraine#un-ohchr-reports–183
    • Civic space and fundamental freedoms in Ukraine, 1 November 2019 – 31 October 2021 (8 December 2021): https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/UkraineCivicSpace2021-EN.pdf
    • Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine: report of the Secretary-General (/HRC/44/21, 19 June 2020): http://undocs.org/A/HRC/44/21
      Submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 74/168, covers the period from 1 July to 31 Dec. 2019.
    • Visit to Ukraine : report of the Independent Expert on Protection against Violence and Discrimination based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (A/HRC/44/53/Add.1, 27 April 2020) : https://undocs.org/A/HRC/44/53/Add.1
      Report of Independent Expert Victor Madrigal-Borloz on his visit to Ukraine from 30 Apr. to 10 May 2019. Summary issued in all official languages; annexed report in English only.
    • Visit to Ukraine: report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (A/HRC/42/40/Add.2, 9 August 2019): http://undocs.org/A/HRC/42/40/Add.2
      Visit to Ukraine from 11 to 20 June 2018. Summary issued in all official languages; annexed report in English and Russian only.
    • Civic space and fundamental freedoms ahead of the presidential, parliamentary and local elections in Ukraine in 2019-2020 (A/HRC/40/CRP.4, 21 March 2019): https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/3797924/
    • Report on the situation of human rights in the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, 13 September 2017 to 30 June 2018 (A/HRC/39/CRP.4, 21 September 2018): http://undocs.org/A/HRC/39/CRP.4
    • Human rights violations and abuses and international humanitarian law violations committed in the context of the Ilovaisk events in August 2014 (A/HRC/39/CRP.3, 19 September 2018): http://undocs.org/A/HRC/39/CRP.3
    • Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine) (25 September 2017): http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/Crimea2014_2017_EN.pdf
    • Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Ukraine, 14 March 2014 to 31 January 2017 (16 February 2017): http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/ReportCRSV_EN.pdf
    • Accountability for killings in Ukraine from January 2014 to May 2016 (15 May 2016):
      http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/OHCHRThematicReportUkraineJan2014-May2016_EN.pdf
    • Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Ukraine (A/HRC/27/75, 19 September 2014):
      http://undocs.org/A/HRC/27/75
      Submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 26/30; covers the period from 21 Nov. 2013 to 5 Sept. 2014. Contains 5 reports by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the human rights situation in Ukraine from 15 April to 29 August 2014: 1. 15 April 2014 — 2. 15 May 2014 — 3. 15 June 2014 — 4. 15 July 20014 — 5. 29 August 2014. Annexed reports in English only.

Security Council

  • Meetings in 2021: 11 February – Letter dated 13 April 2014 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2014/264)
    Meeting records, press releases and resolutions:
    https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/meetings-2020-vtc
    https://research.un.org/en/docs/sc/quick/meetings/2021
  • Meetings in 2020: 18 February – Letter dated 13 April 2014 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2014/264)
    https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/meetings-2020-vtc
    http://research.un.org/en/docs/sc/quick/meetings/2020
  • Meetings in 2019: 25 April – Letter dated 28 February 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2014/136)
    16 July, 20 May, 12 February – Letter dated 13 April 2014 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2014/264)
    http://research.un.org/en/docs/sc/quick/meetings/2019
  • Meetings in 2018: 26 November, 30 October, 6 June, 29 May – Letter dated 28 February 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2014/136)
    http://research.un.org/en/docs/sc/quick/meetings/2018
  • Meetings in 2017: 2 February – Letter dated 28 February 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2014/136)
    http://research.un.org/en/docs/sc/quick/meetings/2017
  • Meetings in 2016: 28 April – Letter dated 28 February 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2014/136);
    29 February – Briefing by the Chair-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
    http://research.un.org/en/docs/sc/quick/meetings/2016
  • Meetings in 2015: 11 December, 29 July, 5 June, 6 March, 26 and 21 January – Letter dated 28 February 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2014/136);
    17 February – Letter dated 13 April 2014 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2014/264);
    24 February – Briefing by the Chair-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
    http://research.un.org/en/docs/sc/quick/meetings/2015
  • Meetings in 2014: 12 November, 24 October, 8 August, 21 and 18 July, 24 June, 28 May, 29 and 13 April, 19, 15, 13, 10, 3 and 1 March, 28 February – Letter dated 28 February 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2014/136);
    19 September, 5 August, 2 May, 13 April – Letter dated 13 April 2014 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2014/264)
    http://research.un.org/en/docs/sc/quick/meetings/2014
  • see also Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council:
    https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/repertoire/europe#cat18

Related press releases:

Related documents:

  • A/76/503-S/2021/908 (2 November 2021): Letter dated 29 October 2021 from the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General: http://undocs.org/S/2021/908
    Transmits Joint Declaration of the International Crimea Platform Participants, adopted at the inaugural summit of the Crimea Platform, held in Kyiv, 23 Aug. 2021.
  • S/2021/690 (29 July 2021): Letter dated 28 July 2021 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i of the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2021/690
    Transmits summary of the open Arria-formula meeting of the Security Council on the topic “Circumstances of Maidan and its after-effects in the Donbass”, held on 2 June 2021.
  • S/2021/397 (23 April 2021): Letter dated 22 April 2021 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2021/397
    Transmits summary of the Arria-formula meeting of the Security Council on the situation in Crimea, held on 17 Mar. 2021.
  • S/2021/53 (15 January 2021): Letter dated 14 January 2021 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2021/53
    Transmits summary of the Arria-formula meeting of the Security Council on the topic “Implementation of the 2015 Minsk Package of Measures on the settlement in Ukraine : a year since the Paris ‘’Normandie’ summit”, held on 2 Dec. 2020.
  • S/2020/1071 (2 November 2020): Letter dated 30 October 2020 from the Permanent Representative of Estonia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2020/1071
    Transmits, on behalf of Belgium, France and Germany, joint statement following the 22nd European Union-Ukraine Summit, held in Brussels, 6 Oct. 2020.
  • S/2020/746 (27 July 2020): Letter dated 27 July 2020 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2020/746
    Refutes allegations in letter dated 10 July 2020 from the Netherlands (S/2020/676) concerning the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.
  • S/2020/676 (10 July 2020): Letter dated 10 July 2020 from the Permanent Representatives of the Netherlands to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2020/676
    Refers to Security Council resolution 2166 (2014), as well as previous letters from the Netherlands of 1 and 28 Aug. (S/2014/639), 9 Sept. (S/2014/657) and 16 Dec. 2014 (S/2014/903), 20 July (S/2015/551) and 13 Oct. 2015 (S/2015/780), 28 Sept. 2016 (S/2016/815), 5 July 2017 (S/2017/580), 24 May (S/2018/496) and 25 May 2018 (S/2018/503), 20 June 2019 (S/2019/510) and 6 Mar. 2020 (S/2020/181), regarding the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17; informs that the Netherlands has decided to submit an inter-State application to the European Court of Human Rights against the Russian Federation for its alleged role in the downing of the flight.
  • S/2020/530 (12 June 2020): Letter dated 9 June 2020 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2020/530
    Transmits summary of the Arria-formula meeting of the Security Council on the situation in Crimea, held on 21 May 2020.
  • S/2020/181 (6 March 2020): Letter dated 6 March 2020 from the Permanent Representatives of the Netherlands to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2020/181
    Refers to Security Council resolution 2166 (2014), as well as previous letters from the Netherlands of 1 and 28 Aug. (S/2014/639), 9 Sept. (S/2014/657) and 16 Dec. 2014 (S/2014/903), 20 July (S/2015/551) and 13 Oct. 2015 (S/2015/780), 28 Sept. 2016 (S/2016/815), 5 July 2017 (S/2017/580), 24 May (S/2018/496) and 25 May 2018 (S/2018/503), and 20 June 2019 (S/2019/510), regarding the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17; informs that the criminal trial of 4 suspects will start before the district court of The Hague on 9 Mar. 2020.
  • S/PRST/2018/12 (6 June 2018): Statement [made on behalf of the Security Council, at the 8276th meeting, 6 June 2018, in connection with the Council’s consideration of the item entitled “Letter dated 28 February 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2014/136)”]: http://undocs.org/S/PRST/2018/12
  • S/2018/503 (25 May 2018): Letter dated 25 May 2018 from the Permanent Representatives of Australia and the Netherlands to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2018/503
    Refers to Security Council resolution 2166 (2014), as well as previous letters from the Netherlands of 1 and 28 Aug. (S/2014/639), 9 Sept. (S/2014/657) and 16 Dec. 2014 (S/2014/903), 20 July (S/2015/551) and 13 Oct. 2015 (S/2015/780), 28 Sept. 2016 (S/2016/815), 5 July 2017 (S/2017/580) and 24 May 2018 (S/2018/496), regarding the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17; informs that Australia and the Netherlands have notified the Russian Federation, through a note verbale, that the Russian Federation bears responsibility, under international law, for its role in the downing the flight.
  • S/2018/496 (24 May 2018): Letter dated 24 May 2018 from the Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2018/496
    Refers to Security Council resolution 2166 (2014), as well as previous letters from the Netherlands of 1 and 28 Aug. (S/2014/639), 9 Sept. (S/2014/657) and 16 Dec. 2014 (S/2014/903), 20 July (S/2015/551) and 13 Oct. 2015 (S/2015/780), 28 Sept. 2016 (S/2016/815) and 5 July 2017 (S/2017/580), regarding the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17; informs that the Joint Investigation Team presented further findings.
  • S/2017/754 (5 September 2017): Letter dated 5 September 2017 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2017/754
    Transmits draft for a Security Council resolution on the establishment of a “United Nations Support Mission to Protect the Special Monitoring Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE SMM) in Southeast Ukraine”.
  • S/2016/815 (28 September 2016): Letter dated 28 September 2016 from the Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2016/815
    Refers to Security Council resolution 2166 (2014), as well as previous letters from the Netherlands of 1 and 28 Aug., 9 Sept. and 16 Dec. 2014, and 20 July and 13 Oct. 2015, regarding the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17; informs that, on 28 Sept. 2016, the Joint Investigation Team conducting the independent criminal investigation into the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine on 17 July 2014 presented its interim findings.
  • S/2015/562 (29 July 2015): Draft resolution [on establishment of an International Tribunal for the Purpose of Prosecuting Persons responsible for Crimes Connected with the Downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 on 17 July 2014 in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine]: http://undocs.org/S/2015/562
    “Annex: Statute of the International Criminal Tribunal for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 (ICTMH17)” p. 4-23.
    The draft resolution was not adopted due to the negative vote of 1 permanent member of the Security Council (Russian Federation) (S/PV.7498)
  • S/2015/528 (10 July 2015): Letter dated 10 July 2015 from the Permanent Representatives of Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2015/528
    Regarding Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which was downed over Ukrainian territory on 17 July 2014; request the Security Council to establish an ad hoc international criminal tribunal under Chapter VII of the Charter of the UN to prosecute persons responsible for crimes connected with the downing of MH17.
  • S/2015/135 (25 February 2015): Letter dated 24 February 2015 from the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2015/135
    Transmits Protocol on the results of the consultations of the Trilateral Contact Group of representatives of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) (Minsk, 5 Sept. 2014) and the memorandum on the fulfilment of the Protocol based on the results of the consultations of the Trilateral Contact Group (Minsk, 19 Sept. 2014).
  • S/RES/2202 (2015): http://undocs.org/S/RES/2202(2015)
    on implementation of the “Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements”
    Annexes (p. 2-5): 1. Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements — 2. Declaration of the President of the Russian Federation, the President of Ukraine, the President of the French Republic and the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany in support of the “Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements”, adopted on 12 February 2015 in Minsk.
  • A/69/778-S/2015/110 (13 Feb. 2015): Letter dated 12 February 2015 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General: http://undocs.org/A/69/778
    Declaration by the President of the Russian Federation, the President of Ukraine, the President of the French Republic and the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany in support of the package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk accords adopted on 12 February 2015
  • S/2014/755 (23 October 2014): Letter dated 23 October 2014 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2014/755
    Transmits information on the current status of the implementation of the Minsk arrangements.
  • S/2014/657 (9 September 2014): Letter dated 9 September 2014 from the Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (Preliminary report – Crash involving Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 flight MH17 Hrabove, Ukrainian – 17 July 2014): http://undocs.org/S/2014/657
  • S/RES/2166 (2014): http://undocs.org/S/RES/2166(2014)
    on downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 on 17 July in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine
  • S/2014/264 (14 April 2014): Letter dated 13 April 2014 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: http://undocs.org/S/2014/264
    Requests, in accordance with rule 2 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council, that the President of the Security Council convene an emergency meeting of the Council in the briefing format on 13 Apr. 2014, at 8 p.m., to consider the developments in Ukraine.
  • S/2014/189 (15 March 2014): draft resolution: http://undocs.org/S/2014/189
  • S/2014/136 (26 February 2014): Letter dated 28 February 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council : http://undocs.org/S/2014/136
    Requests an urgent meeting of the Security Council in accordance with Articles 34 and 35 of the Charter of the UN; requests also, in accordance with rule 37 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council, that Ukraine be allowed to participate in the meeting and make a statement.
  • Further documents – click here
  • Available through UN Peacemaker:
  • Meetings in 1993:
    Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council – Complaint by Ukraine regarding the Decree of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation concerning Sevastopol:
    http://www.un.org/en/sc/repertoire/93-95/Chapter%208/EUROPE/93-95_8-22-UKRAINE.pdf

General Assembly

  • A/RES/76/178: Situation of human rights in the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine / adopted by the General Assembly on 16 December 2021: https://undocs.org/A/RES/76/178
  • A/RES/76/70: Problem of the militarization of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, as well as parts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov: resolution / adopted by the General Assembly on 9 December 2021: http://undocs.org/A/RES/76/70
  • A/76/260 (2 August 2021): Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine: report of the Secretary-General: http://undocs.org/A/76/260
    Submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 75/192; covers the period from 1 July 2020-30 June 2021.
  • A/RES/75/192: Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine : resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 16 December 2020: http://undocs.org/A/RES/75/192
  • A/RES/75/29: Problem of the militarization of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, as well as parts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov: resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 7 December 2020: http://undocs.org/A/RES/75/29
  • A/75/334 (1 September 2020): Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine: Report of the Secretary-General: https://undocs.org/A/75/334
  • Concerned about ongoing militarization of Crimea, human rights violations in Eastern Ukraine, speakers tell General Assembly Minsk Agreements must be fully implemented (GA/12241, 20 February 2020): https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/ga12241.doc.htm
  • A/RES/74/168: Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly on 18 December 2019: https://undocs.org/A/RES/74/168
  • A/RES/74/17: Problem of the militarization of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, as well as parts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly on 9 December 2019: https://undocs.org/en/A/RES/74/17
  • A/74/276 (2 August 2019): Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine): report of the Secretary-General: http://undocs.org/A/74/276
    Submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 73/263; provides information on the progress made in the implementation of the resolution up to 30 June 2019.
  • Speakers urge peaceful settlement to conflict in Ukraine, underline support for sovereignty, territorial integrity of Crimea, Donbas Region (GA/12122, 20 February 2019): https://www.un.org/press/en/2019/ga12122.doc.htm
  • A/RES/73/263: Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine : resolution / adopted on 22 December 2018: : http://undocs.org/A/RES/73/263
  • A/RES/73/194: Problem of the militarization of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, as well as parts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly on 17 December 2018: http://undocs.org/A/RES/73/194
  • A/RES/72/190: Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly on 19 December 2017): http://undocs.org/A/RES/72/190
  • A/RES/71/205: Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine) : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly on 19 December 2016): http://undocs.org/A/RES/71/205
  • General Assembly adopts resolution calling upon states not to recognize changes in status of Crimea Region (GA/11493, 27 March 2014):
    http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2014/ga11493.doc.htm

 

Selected Statements and Speeches by UN Officials

 

Further Information

 

Non-UN Sources

 

Last update: 15 December 2021
not an official document – for information only
https://unric.org/en/unric-library-backgrounder-ukraine-pre-2022/

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