Since Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war against Ukraine on February 24, Human Rights Watch has documented the crisis and its impact on civilians, while calling for Russian, Ukraine, and EU governments to protect those fleeing the fighting. HRW Senior Researcher Yulia Gorbunova was at Rava-Ruska, a land border crossing between Ukraine and Poland, the night Putin announced the invasion. She recounts meeting people fleeing the war and heading to the border, people waiting for hours on foot or in vehicles, enduring freezing temperatures and in need of food, water, and warmth.
Roughly one million people have fled Ukraine, according to the UN Refugee Agency. Amid serious laws of war violations by Russian forces, HRW this week called on the European Union and its member states to do everything they can to ensure safe passage and fair treatment for all civilians escaping the war.
In Russia, censorship has reached new heights as authorities have threatened to fine or block some Russian independent media outlets if they do not delete publications about the war in Ukraine. Russian authorities have also interfered with access to Facebook and Twitter, and have blocked access to another media website.
Meanwhile, as Russia’s bombardment in Ukraine continues to escalate, thirty-eight governments have asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor to open an investigation, reflecting the growing alarm about the atrocities and human rights crisis that has gripped Ukraine. On February 28, the ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, signaled his intention to seek to open a formal inquiry. | 
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