Russia committed ‘crimes against humanity’ through attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure: UN inquiry

Russian authorities committed "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity" through systematic attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, deliberately depriving civilians of essential services, UN investigators said Monday.

In a report submitted to the UN General Assembly, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine concluded that Russian forces intentionally targeted civilian facilities, causing widespread suffering, particularly during the winter of 2025-2026.

Millions of people in Ukraine faced "lengthy outages of heating, electricity, water, and gas, and had to cope with intolerable living conditions," the commission said.

"As the cold season approaches, the attacks have intensified once again, raising serious concerns about the threats to civilians' lives and health," commission chair Erik Mose warned.

Investigators found that the attacks were carried out under a "state policy" intended to "deprive civilians of essential services," constituting crimes against humanity.

The commission also uncovered evidence that Russian authorities trafficked men from 29 countries into military service through deception and coercion, according to the report.

Recruits were "forced to sign Russian-language military contracts" before being deployed to frontline positions in Ukraine.

The commission called for an immediate end to attacks on civilian infrastructure and the discharge of all trafficked recruits from Russian forces.