Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, during her participation in the United for Justice High-Level Conference - Legal Ramstein in Lviv, emphasized that 5 more centers for assistance to survivors would soon be opened in Ukraine.

She noted that since the beginning of the full-scale war, every day, Ukraine and the world would continue to learn about new horrific crimes committed by russians in Ukraine. Therefore, it was important to immediately develop an action plan and mechanisms for responding to such crimes.

"First of all, we wanted international organizations to have information about all identifiable crimes committed by russians. I personally sent letters with information about such cases, so that when the moment of justice came, these organizations could also testify and share the information they had received," said Olha Stefanishyna.

The Deputy Prime Minister noted that many victims of rape by the russian military would never be able to talk about their experiences; many are not ready to go to law enforcement agencies now. Therefore, the number of crimes currently being investigated by the Prosecutor General's Office is much lower than the actual statistics of such cases.

Olha Stefanishyna noted that when Ukrainians had begun to arrive in the Government-controlled areas from the temporary occupation or after liberation, there had been a clear understanding of the need to provide them with comprehensive, qualified assistance as quickly as possible.

"We understood the horror that Ukrainians went through when they survive the occupation and that we cannot force them to run around to numerous authorities: doctors, psychologists, law enforcement agencies. That's how the idea of establishing Assistance Centers came about, where the affected person can receive all the necessary information and support for as long as they need it," said Olha Stefanishyna.

She noted that there were already 5 rescue centers in Ukraine: in Kyiv, Lviv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, and Chernivtsi. Work is also underway to establish 5 more such centers in other cities.

"Thousands of people have already received help at the Centers, dozens of them have been subjected to physical abuse and sexual violence. These are people who do not go to the police, but tell their stories to the Center staff. It is important to record this information, as victims may be ready to testify in 10 or 20 years. When this happens, we will already have all the information and the perpetrators will be brought to justice then," emphasized Olha Stefanishyna.

Concluding her speech, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that sexual violence in Ukraine was a targeted, systemic war crime committed by the decision of the russian high command. She expressed her hope that Ukraine's experience would be used in other countries to document these crimes and ultimately bring all perpetrators, including those who had given criminal orders, to justice.