On Anniversary of Russian Invasion, Activists in Ukraine Anticipate Long-term Human Rights Challenges After Any Ceasefire

By Brian Dooley and Suchita Uppal, Human Rights First

Human rights activists in Ukraine warn that whether or not ongoing peace talks with Russia produce a breakthrough, many of the country’s most serious human rights challenges will persist long after the fighting ends.

In a new report for Human Rights First released to mark this week’s anniversaries of the 2014 and 2022 Russian invasions, we outline those human rights issues confronting Ukraine today, which are likely to endure beyond any ceasefire.

We explore seven urgent issues identified by local activists who hope international attention won’t fade if a ceasefire is achieved: the prosecution of war crimes, corruption, disinformation, LGBTQI+ rights, the mental health crisis, treatment of suspected collaborators, and the risk of refugees being forced to return to Ukraine.

Accountability for war crimes will shape Ukraine’s legal and moral landscape in the years to come. Dmytro Koval is Co-CEO of Ukrainian NGO Truth Hounds, one of the world’s leading authorities on the documentation of war crimes. He also serves as the Chair of International and European Law at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

“One of the most pressing challenges for justice today is the increasingly proactive construction of alternative versions of truth, aimed at pre-empting or discrediting justice processes,” he said. “While denialism has long accompanied atrocity crimes, what distinguishes the current moment is the scale of political, financial, and informational investment directed toward actively attacking verified facts and institutional credibility.”

Such negationism - the systematic discrediting of truth - is a serious concern. Koval pointed to recent developments before the International Court of Justice in Allegations of Genocide under the Genocide Convention (Ukraine v. Russian Federation), where counterclaims by Russia attempt to invert responsibility by portraying victims of gross human rights violations as instigators.

Another difficult question concerns how Ukraine addresses suspected collaboration in occupied territories.

Some individuals under occupation have actively provided intelligence to Russian forces, while others have promoted the invasion through online propaganda. Yet, no clear legal definition exists of what constitutes collaboration, and activists warn that existing laws are vague and inconsistently applied.

Ukrainian human rights NGO ZMINA has analyzed how suspected collaborators are punished. Onysiia Syniuk, Head of Research Department at ZMINA Centre for Human Rights, says existing legislation, adopted in March 2022, is too broad, “designat[ing] almost any actions in the occupied territory as collaboration.”

The implications reach far beyond criminal liability. How Ukraine distinguishes between voluntary support, coercion, and survival under occupation will shape reintegration, transitional justice, and social cohesion, according to Syniuk. “The lack of understanding of the reality in occupied territories is a barrier to developing cohesive and effective state policy on reintegration, and a challenge for those who are leaving or planning to leave occupied territories either for the territories under Ukrainian control, or third states.”

The durability of Ukraine’s democracy will also depend on the strength of its anti-corruption institutions.

Following the 2014 Revolution of Dignity, Ukraine established independent bodies such as the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office to investigate high-level corruption. Activists now warn that these safeguards are weakening, particularly under prolonged martial law and centralized decision-making.

Dmytro Bulakh of the Kharkiv Anti-Corruption Center said, “the key current challenges facing the anti-corruption sector include the excessive centralization of power that has become entrenched during martial law, as well as the use of state mechanisms, including those related to wartime governance, to exert pressure on active civil society actors.”

Other challenges will become more visible after a ceasefire. The psychological toll of prolonged war is expected to deepen, with experts warning that delayed trauma and burnout may surface once active hostilities end. The status of Ukrainian refugees abroad will require careful protection to ensure that any return is genuinely voluntary and safe. And the trajectory of LGBTQI+ rights including debates over civil partnerships and protections against hate crimes will remain a key measure of Ukraine’s democratic development.

Ukraine will face a multitude of additional challenges when the fighting stops, including what happens if some of its citizens remain under Russian occupation and how it redefines its relationships with the United States and the European Union. The country will need to restart its economy and clear vast areas of land contaminated by mines.

Human Rights First has worked alongside Human Rights Defenders in Ukraine since Russia’s 2014 invasion. Since February 2022, the organization has conducted 25 research visits to frontline areas, including in the Kharkiv region.

Our experience at Human Rights First means we understand the challenge of looking beyond the immediate crisis and planning for what has become known as “the day after.” Post-conflict success in Ukraine will depend on how these issues are addressed.

The report’s recommendations include that any peace deal or ceasefire agreement must not trade away accountability for war crimes, and that Ukraine’s allies should publicly support and properly resource anti-corruption institutions and activists.