War Compass

Ukraine - Russia · NEW

UN commission classifies Russian energy attacks as international crimes

A UN commission of inquiry says deliberate Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy system amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

War Compass editorial teamPublished:

AI illustration of repair work on damaged Ukrainian energy infrastructure in winter
AI illustration of repair work on damaged Ukrainian energy infrastructure in winter

Both parties to the conflict are presented separately, followed by a factual neutral assessment.

Ukrainian account

Ukraine describes the attacks on electricity and heating as a deliberate campaign against civilians. The commission relied in part on accounts from 255 affected people and information from Ukrainian authorities, medical professionals and organisations.

Russian account

Russia did not answer the commission's requests for information or grant access to investigate Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities. Moscow generally says it strikes military or military-related infrastructure.

Neutral editorial assessment

The legal assessment comes from an independent commission mandated by the UN Human Rights Council and is not a court judgment. It also examined Ukrainian attacks but could not investigate their impact further without access. AP confirmed the publication and its central findings.

Direct sources

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