An independent UN investigations panel announced on Monday that Russia is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity through intentional attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, including vital energy systems. Russian forces have targeted Ukrainian power installations since the early stages of the 2022 invasion, severely intensifying these strikes at the start of last winter and leaving millions without heat or light. And massively ramped up these attacks at the beginning of last year’s winter, leaving millions of Ukrainians freezing in the darkness of their homes, russian forces have been targeting Ukrainian power infrastructure since the early months of the war in 2022. The UN commission report names several high-profile Russian officials as the people most responsible for what it describes as “war crimes and the crimes against humanity.”. Including the rights to life, freedom, health, and to be treated humanely, the report concludes that Russia violated the recruits’ fundamental human rights.
A new report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, submitted to the UN General Assembly, concluded these strikes “were carried out with intent” under a broader “state policy to deprive the civilian population from essential energy supplies and cause suffering.” Investigators noted that Russian commanders who authorized the strikes knew the targeted heating facilities were indispensable to civilians during severe winter weather. The Kremlin was approached for comment on the findings.
Data from Kyiv indicates that large-scale Russian missile and drone strikes last winter destroyed 70 percent of thermal power generation capacity in the hardest-hit regions. The human toll was exacerbated by extreme cold snap temperatures that plunged to -30 degrees Celsius (-22 F). Medical personnel reported treating individuals for severe frostbite and hypothermia developed inside unheated residences and hospitals, with authorities recording cold-exposure deaths. A resident of Dnipro described the experience to investigators, stating that the paralyzing cold left no way to get warm and induced terrifying thoughts. The suffering was made worse by an unusually cold winter with temperatures dropping to as low as -30 degrees Celsius (-22 F) on multiple occasions. Due to exposure to unheated premises and required hospitalization,” the report said, the patients had developed these conditions at home.
The commission, established by the UN Human Rights Council shortly after the February 2022 invasion, has previously documented allegations of sexual violence and the mass forced deportation of Ukrainian children. In its latest document, the panel directly implicates high-ranking Russian leadership, noting President Vladimir Putin issued statements regarding instructions to attack energy targets. It further asserts that former Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, current Defence Minister Andrey Belousov, and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov planned and overseen the operations. The International Criminal Court has already issued arrest warrants for Putin, Shoigu, and Gerasimov.
As another winter approaches, Russia has signaled its intent to maintain the campaign. The UN report cites an August declaration by the Russian Ministry of Defence announcing further attacks on energy targets alongside the statement: “In winter you will freeze.” Meanwhile, Ukraine faces critical shortages of air defense missiles to counter incoming strikes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly appealed to Western allies for anti-air ammunition ahead of the cold season. Kyiv had previously targeted Russian oil and gas facilities to disrupt Moscow’s export revenues, but reduced those strikes following criticism from US President Donald Trump, who linked them to rising fuel prices. As the colder weather begins to arrive in Ukraine, Russia has made it clear it intends to continue to terrorize its neighbor.
In a separate finding, the UN inquiry concluded that Russian authorities and coordinated agents have engaged in human rights violations and human trafficking to bolster military manpower. The commission uncovered “compelling evidence” that individuals from 29 countries across Africa, India, and Latin America were recruited into the Russian armed forces using deception or coercion. Foreign nationals lured with false promises of employment frequently had their passports and phones seized, while promised payments and bonuses were diverted by commanders and recruiters. According to has, Extensively on Russia’s use of deception, bribery and blackmail to lure foreigners into joining its military.
The panel highlighted that the uniform application of these deceptive recruitment tactics across multiple continents demonstrates extensive coordination between global recruiting agents and Russian state authorities. Additionally, the commission examined Ukraine’s recruitment of foreign fighters into its military ranks, concluding from witness testimonies that foreign nationals joined the Ukrainian armed forces voluntarily, with full understanding of their military contracts.
