UN panel: Russia is committing crimes against humanity by targeting civilians in Ukraine

UN investigators accuse Russia of crimes against humanity over attacks on Ukraine’s energy system

Healfromzero.com – Russia’s sustained strikes on Ukraine’s civilian energy network amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, a United Nations investigative panel has concluded, describing a deliberate campaign that left civilians without heat, power and other essential services during winter.

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine said Russian attacks on vital infrastructure were intentional and reflected a state policy aimed at depriving civilians of energy supplies and inflicting suffering. Its new findings are being submitted to the UN General Assembly.

Russian forces began hitting Ukrainian power facilities in the first months after the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The attacks intensified sharply at the start of last winter, when large missile and drone barrages damaged the systems needed to generate electricity and heat homes.

Kyiv has said that thermal generation capacity fell by 70% in the hardest-hit areas during the winter campaign. The damage came during an exceptionally severe season, with temperatures reaching as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius on several occasions.

Winter conditions turned infrastructure damage into a civilian emergency

The commission emphasized that commanders ordering the strikes understood the particular significance of heating facilities during winter. It said those sites were indispensable to civilian life, especially when prolonged cold made unheated homes and hospitals dangerous.

Its report describes deaths linked to low temperatures inside residences and medical facilities. Hospital staff told investigators they treated people for cold-related injuries, including hypothermia and varying degrees of frostbite, after patients had remained in unheated homes.

“Cold—it paralyzes you; there’s simply no way to get warm, and terrifying thoughts come into your mind,”

A woman in Dnipro, Ukraine’s fourth-largest city, used those words to describe the experience of living through the attacks. Her account illustrates the impact beyond the immediate blast sites: damaged energy infrastructure can disrupt heating, lighting, medical care, water systems and everyday communication across entire communities.

The panel was created by the UN Human Rights Council only days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion. It has previously examined alleged sexual and gender-based violence by Russian forces, as well as the broad forced deportation of Ukrainian children by Russian authorities.

Putin and senior military figures named in the findings

The report identifies several prominent Russian officials as bearing principal responsibility for conduct it characterizes as war crimes and crimes against humanity. It points to statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning instructions to strike Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

Investigators also cited evidence gathered over several years involving former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, his successor Andrey Belousov, and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov. The commission says the evidence links them to planning and supervision of the attacks.

The International Criminal Court has previously issued arrest warrants for Putin, Shoigu and Gerasimov over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Russia has rejected many international accusations over its conduct in Ukraine, and the Kremlin was approached for comment on the latest UN findings.

The significance of the panel’s assessment lies in its conclusion that the damage was not simply an incidental consequence of military operations. The commission says the strikes formed part of a purposeful policy directed at civilian access to essential energy. That distinction is central to its finding that the conduct rises to the level of crimes against humanity.

Ukraine faces another cold season under pressure

With colder weather returning, Ukraine is again preparing for the possibility of extensive attacks on its energy network. Russia has indicated that it intends to continue targeting the sector. The report refers to an August statement by Russia’s Defense Ministry announcing attacks on energy infrastructure and declaring:

“In winter you will freeze.”

Ukraine’s ability to counter large-scale drone and missile attacks has become increasingly difficult because of a severe shortage of air-defense missiles. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly asked Western partners for more ammunition, highlighting the approaching winter as a major concern.

Air defense has become a central part of civilian protection because strikes on energy assets can have consequences far from the front line. A damaged generating plant or substation may leave families unable to heat apartments, force hospitals to rely on emergency systems, and make already vulnerable residents more exposed to freezing conditions.

Ukraine has also struck Russian oil and gas facilities in an effort to reduce the Kremlin’s energy-export revenue. Those operations have eased after criticism from US President Donald Trump, who has blamed Ukraine for increases in gas prices.

The UN commission’s latest conclusions place renewed international attention on the humanitarian consequences of the war’s infrastructure campaign. For Ukrainians entering another winter, the issue is not limited to electricity shortages. It concerns whether homes, hospitals and public services can remain safe when temperatures fall and the energy system is under attack.