An 11-year-old boy was raped in front of his mother and now communicates only through black lines, says the deputy foreign minister

An 11-year-old boy was raped in front of his mother, according to Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister, who denounced Russia for its “cruel human rights violations.”

In a tweet from the British mission in Geneva, Emine Dzhaparova was pictured holding a drawing of the child, who she said is still too traumatized to speak and only communicates through “black lines.”

Speaking via video link, Ms Dzhaparova told the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) in Geneva that Russia was committing “the most atrocious human rights violations on the European continent in decades”.

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While speaking from Kiev, she held up the boy’s drawing and said: “He actually lost the ability to speak after that and the only way he communicates is through black lines.”

Ms Dzhaparova also said: “It has been ten weeks of pure horror for the people of my country.”

“Torture and enforced disappearances, sexual and gender-based violence – the list of Russia’s crimes is endless.

“Only the world standing in solidarity with the Ukrainian people can defeat this pure evil.”

Ms Dzhaparova’s account of what happened to the boy has not been confirmed.

A spokesman for Russia’s diplomatic mission did not respond to a request for comment on her account.

Russia, which has denied committing abuses as part of its so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine, left its council seat in Geneva empty in protest.

The UNHCR has decided to launch an investigation into possible war crimes committed by Russian troops in the Kyiv area and beyond.

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UNICEF deputy executive director Omar Abdi said 100 children were killed last month alone, but he acknowledged the actual number was likely significantly higher.

“Every day more Ukrainian children are exposed to the horrors of this war,” he said.

According to UNICEF, a total of 226 children have been killed and 417 injured in Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion through May 11.

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