Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of russia to Ukraine, the Ukrainian Healthcare Center’s team has been recording russian war crimes against the healthcare system of Ukraine to hold russia accountable for its actions.

We are explaining how our team collects the data, analyzes it, and how it will be used.

Who collects the data?

The team of the Ukrainian Healthcare Center (UHC). Volunteers help us to collect the data in several regions. Moreover, we are members of the Ukraine. 5 am Coalition that has been working since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine to protect victims of russia’s aggression in Ukraine and to prosecute the ruling elite of the russian federation and direct perpetrators of war crimes.

Where is this data from?

We collect the data from 3 different sources: open sources (media news, social media posts), the regional healthcare departments, and the witnesses of the crimes. 

We carefully check all the information, search for additional facts, photos, and videos, and also witnesses, who can confirm these crimes.

How is this data collected?

We record the data via special rules — the Berkeley protocol. Our analysts process every single case and gather them into a single database. 

*The Berkeley Protocol is a practical guide to the effective use of open-source digital information in the investigation of violations of international criminal law, human rights, and humanitarian law, developed by the University of California, Berkeley School of Law with representatives of the United Nations.

And then what will happen with this data?

We tell about these cases to the whole world: on the UHC pages, providing comments and interviews for the Ukrainian and international media. Together with several international media we prepare analytical reviews and help the journalist’s investigations with information and materials. Subsequently, we will provide this data to the specialists who gather information for submitting the documents to the International Criminal Court in Hague.

Why is our data different from the MOH, Ukraine statistics?

We document the cases when healthcare facilities and healthcare staff faced direct attacks: shelling, assaults, or murders. For example, if wards, operation rooms, or other important parts of the healthcare facilities have been damaged due to the shelling. If the neighboring buildings were the targets of the shelling and the hospital windows were destroyed by the shock wave, this is an indirect attack on the healthcare facility.

We have focused on the direct attacks documentation, however, we record other cases that will hinder provision of the healthcare in future.

Additionally, some hospitals are shelled more than one time. We record these situations as a single healthcare facility that was under attack. Nevertheless, we collect data about damage, that was caused on different days.

If I work as s journalist, could I receive the information or comments?

We regularly provide the information for a journalist’s request and are ready to share images, witnesses’ contacts, and stories. Materials and interviews have already been published with our data at AP, CBC, Times Radio, Aktuálně.cz, and journalist’s investigations are underway. If you want to receive a comment or additional information — contact us via email: [email protected]

If I became a witness of the attack, how could I tell you my story? 

Please, fill in the short google-form. We will check all the data and record the case necessarily.