Torture part of Russian war policy in Ukraine - UN observer

A United Nations observer has accused Russia of deliberately using torture and ill-treatment as state policy in its war on Ukraine.

"The volume of credible allegations of torture and other inhumane acts that are being perpetrated against civilians and prisoners of war by Russian authorities appears to be unabating," said Alice Jill Edwards, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and inhuman treatment.

Her comments came at the end of a week-long visit to Ukraine where she collected testimonies from Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war.

These reported that soldiers had given detainees electric shocks, applying power to their ears and genitals, beaten them, carried out mock executions and threatened them with rape and death.

"These grievous acts appear neither random nor incidental, but rather orchestrated as part of a State policy to intimidate, instil fear, punish, or extract information and confessions," Edwards said.

More than 103,000 war crimes cases have been registered so far, according to the Ukrainian government.

However, the warfare and Russia's occupation of Ukrainian territories are complicating the work of the judiciary.

Edwards also visited Ukrainian facilities for Russian prisoners of war and praised the care and respectful treatment of the soldiers.

However, last month, a UN commission investigating human rights violations in the war reported that several Russian prisoners had been killed or injured by Ukrainians, though the commission mainly accused Russia of these crimes.