Crimes against humanity, the Russian generals were accused of this by the UN Commission of Inquiry. The independent international body, mandated by the UN Human Rights Council, investigated the impact on civilians of large-scale attacks carried out by Moscow’s armed forces against Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
The consequences
In particular, the Commission focused on the consequences of the bombings during the winter of 2025-2026, as well as their cumulative effect starting from autumn 2022. The frequency, intensity and geographical scope of the waves of attacks with hundreds of drones and missiles have increased over the years, inflicting significant damage on the Ukrainian energy sector.
According to the evaluation of Commissionthe Russian commanders who ordered the attacks were aware that the heating systems targeted in large civilian agglomerations were indispensable for the civilian population. The body concluded that “Russian authorities have committed crimes against humanity and other inhumane acts” by intentionally directing attacks against civilian targets.
The evidence gathered further demonstrates that the attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure were carried out with the intent and in accordance with a state policy aimed at depriving the civilian population of electricity and other essential energy-dependent services, causing suffering. There Commission was based on the testimonies of 255 people in Dnipro, Kiev, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Odessa, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia and Zhytomyr, as well as those of Ukrainian authorities, doctors and non-governmental organizations.