Russia’s recent massive attacks on energy infrastructure are war crimes

In response to Russia’s latest large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:

“The destruction caused by this and previous attacks shows that Russia is seeking to destroy Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in frigid conditions.

“These coordinated attacks are systematically paralyzing Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, depriving civilians of electricity, heating and water as winter approaches.

“Deliberately attacking civilian objects and destroying infrastructure essential to the survival of civilians is a war crime.

“Russia’s actions clearly appear to be aimed at causing suffering to civilians and creating life-threatening conditions. These will particularly affect vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, hospital patients and many others.

“As Ukraine enters its third winter of full-scale invasion, the destruction of energy infrastructure means many schools, hospitals and countless homes remain without heating and running water.

“Russia must stop its aggressive war in Ukraine and immediately end attacks on civilian infrastructure.

“The international community should urgently take effective steps to support Ukraine’s humanitarian needs and ensure accountability for those suspected of being responsible for crimes under international law.”

The Ukrainian authorities and media reported about the case today missile and drone attacks which apparently targeted critical infrastructure – such as energy generation and distribution systems – across a large swath of Ukraine, including its westernmost regions, which were less affected by previous Russian attacks. Ukraine’s state-owned power grid operator reported that emergency power outages were introduced in many regions to stabilize the power system. Officials have warned that continued attacks of this scale are worsening what is already considered a humanitarian crisis.