Russia has committed war crimes by deliberately targeting civilian targets and crimes against humanity by systematically attacking Ukraineʼs energy infrastructure, experts from the UNʼs Independent International Commission of Inquiry into Violations in Ukraine have concluded.
They published their report on the website of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Energy attacks
The commission examined the impact of Russian strikes on Ukraineʼs energy infrastructure on civilians, particularly during the winter of 2025-2026. Since the fall of 2022, attacks by hundreds of drones and missiles have become increasingly frequent and large-scale, causing significant damage to Ukraineʼs energy sector.
The commission found that the Russian commanders who ordered the strikes knew that the heating facilities they attacked in large settlements were vital to the civilian population, especially in winter. The Russian authorities publicly announced further attacks and plans for them. The commission concluded that Russia committed war crimes by deliberately attacking civilian objects.
The evidence gathered indicates that attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure were carried out deliberately, in accordance with a state policy aimed at depriving the civilian population of electricity and other essential services dependent on energy supplies, and causing human suffering. This, the commission concluded, constitutes a crime against humanity.
The commission relied on the testimonies of 255 people who survived the winter in such conditions in Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Odessa, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia and Zhytomyr regions. It also took into account information from Ukrainian authorities, doctors and NGOs.
The Commission also examined attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on energy infrastructure in Russia and in the occupied territories of Ukraine. However, it was unable to examine the consequences of these strikes in more detail because Russia did not provide access to or respond to requests for information.
The Commission stressed that international law prohibits attacks on civilians and civilian objects, and called for an end to such attacks.
Recruitment of foreigners
Regarding the recruitment of foreigners into the Russian military, the Commission found compelling evidence that Russian authorities were involved in human trafficking from 29 countries. People were recruited through exchange and coercion, coordinating with agents and agencies in different countries and regions.
The intermediaries who contacted potential recruits posed as legitimate companies, supposedly approved by governments, arranged visas and documents for groups of recruits, and sometimes accompanied them on their journeys.
However, shortly after their arrival, the men were forced to sign contracts in Russian with the Russian Ministry of Defense. The Commission noted a high level of coordination between intermediaries operating in various countries around the world and the Russian authorities.
These men were sent to the front lines in Ukraine and given dangerous tasks. Many died or went missing. Others surrendered or were captured by the Ukrainian military and became prisoners of war.
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