Ukraine Russia Conflict: Sexual violence has risen in Ukraine, officials blame Russia soldiers for it

Reports of sexual violence have come to the fore in Ukraine. According to the reports sexual violence has risen in Ukraine and a human rights group has accused Russian soldiers of using rape as a weapon of war.

The head of UN Women, Sima Bahous, said on Monday night that “we are increasingly hearing of rape and sexual violence”.

“The brutality displayed against Ukrainian civilians has raised all red flags,” Ms Bahous said.

Kateryna Cherepakha, president of rights group La Strada-Ukraine, said its emergency hotlines had received calls accusing Russian troops of nine cases of rape, involving a dozen women and girls.

Russia launched a war on Ukraine on February 24. However, according to the latest updates, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky voiced concerns that Russian forces could use chemical weapons in Ukraine but did not confirm whether they had been used in his daily video address late on Monday. Earlier on Monday evening, Ukrainian authorities claimed Russia dropped a drone carrying a toxic substance on the south-eastern city of Mariupol. However, more than 10,000 civilians have died in Mariupol, the city’s mayor has said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities are warning people not to go near what they say are landmines being dropped on Kharkiv.