Russian forces carried out widespread and systemic torture of civilians and summarily executed dozens, the United Nations Human Rights Office has said. 

The global body said it interviewed hundreds of victims and witnesses for a report, which details over 900 individual cases of people being detained. 

The vast majority of those interviewed, including children and elderly people, said they were tortured and some were subjected to sexual abuse during their detention.  

"Torture was used to force victims to confess to helping Ukrainian armed forces, compel them to cooperate with the occupying authorities or intimidate those with pro-Ukrainian views," said Matilda Bogner, the head of the UN human rights mission in Ukraine.  

The report spans 15 months - from the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022 to May of this year. 

The Kremlin has consistently denied any suggestion that their troops have carried out any kind of war crimes.  

(Source: Sky News)