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Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones visits Ukraine to address the United for Justice Conference, underlining the UK’s commitment to holding Russia to account for crimes committed throughout the war
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Minister also made “harrowing but essential” visit to Bucha and Irpin, towns that saw civilian suffering at the start of the war
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In line with the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership, the UK is also seeking Ukrainian expertise to turbocharge counter-drone technology development
“Russia must be held to account for its crimes”, the Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls stressed on a visit to Kyiv yesterday [Thursday 7 May]. She was in the city to address the United for Justice Conference, an event aiming to coordinate global efforts to investigate, prosecute, and ensure accountability for international crimes committed during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In Kyiv, the Minister also met with frontline organisations directly supporting survivors of sexual violence, which Russia has used as a weapon of war. The visit also furthers the government’s commitment, under the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership, to support Ukraine in the reform and recovery of its justice system.
Addressing the conference, Minister Davies-Jones expressed the UK Government’s “unwavering” commitment to supporting the Ukrainian people in securing justice and accountability. The UK is supporting Ukraine politically, financially, and practically, including with £16.5 million in funding for domestic war crimes investigations, providing Ukraine with the skills and expertise it needs to drive this action forward.
While in Ukraine, Minister Alex Davies-Jones also visited the towns of Bucha and Irpin, defining sites of civilian suffering caused in the early stages of Russia’s full-scale invasion and during Russian occupation. Russian forces occupied Bucha until early April 2022, during which widespread war crimes including conflict related sexual violence were reported. The Minister visited the memorial at the town’s mass grave site, which pays tribute to the Ukrainians who were killed during the occupation.
Irpin became one of the heaviest-hit areas during Russia’s early invasion of Ukraine and was a front-line battlefield in February 2022. The Minister visited the “Bridge of Life” in Irpin, which was exploded by the Ukrainian armed forces to prevent Russian troops and tanks from entering Kyiv city. The remnants of that bridge were the only route through which Ukrainians could seek evacuation and leave Russian occupation, and many Ukrainians were killed trying to make their way there.
Reflecting on the visit, Minister Davies-Jones said
While here in Ukraine I’ve heard powerful testimonies from survivors and seen the harrowing evidence of war crimes firsthand. Working daily with survivors of violence at home, I know that behind every statistic is a person whose life has been changed forever. >
The courage it takes to speak out, to bear witness and to demand justice is something I deeply commend.Ukraine is still living under daily attack, and the UK stands firmly with its people in that same pursuit of the justice, accountability and freedom they deserve. Russia must be held to account for its crimes.”
The Minister also reflected on the expertise Ukraine has to share with the UK, forged through the experiences of government under the pressures of the full-scale invasion. The Minister announced the opening of a new competition worth £5m by InnovateUK, an initiative that will accelerate counter-drone research in the UK, with a hope to encourage further technological partnerships between our nations.
The visit follows the Deputy Prime Minister’s trip to Ukraine to mark the first anniversary of 100 Year Partnership between the UK and Ukraine in January this year. Whilst there, he announced £6.5 million investment to support research and development on stopping drones smuggling contraband into prisons – including phones, drugs and weapons.