UN Commission Accuses Russia of Crimes Against Humanity Over Ukraine Energy Attacks
A UN independent inquiry says Russia deliberately attacked civilian energy infrastructure, leaving millions without power and heat.
KEY POINTS
- UN commission accuses Russia of war crimes and crimes against humanity
- Attacks targeted civilian energy infrastructure including heating systems
- Millions of Ukrainians left without power and heat during winter
- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha endorsed the report's findings
- Kyiv says attacks cut thermal power generation capacity by 70 percent in worst-hit areas
An independent UN investigation commission has accused Russia of war crimes and crimes against humanity for deliberately attacking civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, including vital energy systems. The commission made the statement on Monday.
Russian forces have attacked Ukraine's electricity infrastructure since the early months of the war in 2022 and sharply intensified these strikes at the start of last winter. Millions of Ukrainians were left in the dark and endured freezing temperatures in their homes.
“Russian commanders who ordered these attacks knew that the heating facilities they attacked were indispensable for the civilian population, in particular during winter.”
A new report published Monday by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine said the attacks were carried out intentionally and aligned with Russian state policy to deprive civilians of essential energy supplies and cause suffering. The report will be presented to the UN General Assembly.
The report said Russian commanders who ordered the attacks knew the heating facilities they targeted were indispensable for civilians, especially during winter. CNN contacted the Kremlin to request comment.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the report confirms what Ukrainians have lived through for years: Russia's systematic attacks on civilian energy infrastructure constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. In a post on X, Sybiha said Russia deliberately deprived millions of people of electricity, heating, and water, turning cold and darkness into instruments of war.
Large-scale Russian drone and missile attacks last winter reduced Ukraine's thermal power generation capacity by 70 percent in the hardest-hit areas, according to Kyiv. Suffering worsened due to an unusually cold winter, with temperatures dropping to minus 30 degrees Celsius on multiple occasions.
The commission was created by the UN Human Rights Council just days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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