Additional Context: This information was collected by Human Rights Watch in an interview with a representative of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union, or UHHR. A decade-long partnership ended between UHHR and USAID, which had taken place under the 'Rule of Law and Human Rights' initiative. The most recent iteration of the partnership worked to strengthen accountability for human rights abuses, war crimes, and crimes against humanity stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

This loss of capacity has jeopardized the development of a national transitional justice strategy that allows the Ukranian government to sensitively respond to the needs of public workers in recaptured areas, such as teachers, who had continued to work under Russian occupation and thus may be persecuted for the offense of 'collaboration' under Ukrainian law. Training for Ministry of Defense officials and personnel in detention facilities holding Russian prisoners of war was also terminated.

Source: Human Rights Watch