On 24 February 2026, marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine, the Council of Europe convened a meeting of the Committee of Ministers to examine the consequences.

Section President and judge elected in respect of Greece, Ioannis Ktistakis, attended this meeting on behalf of the European Court of Human Rights.

The Court remains the only international judicial body exercising jurisdiction over cases against Russia concerning violations of the European Convention on Human Rights, retaining residual competence in respect of applications lodged before the Russian Federation ceased to be a Party to the Convention.

A landmark example is the Grand Chamber judgment in Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia, delivered in July 2025. The Court unanimously held Russia responsible for gross and widespread human rights violations committed in the context of the conflict in Ukraine since 2014 and following the full-scale invasion of February 2022. It further found Russia accountable for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.

The Court’s judgments constitute a historical record, a bill of accountability, and a message to future generations: human dignity cannot be erased, and truth cannot be silenced.