UN Inquiry Accuses Russia of War Crimes in Ukraine

Shibbir Ahmed, Washington DC — A United Nations-backed commission of inquiry has concluded that Russian authorities committed war crimes and crimes against humanity by deliberately attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leaving millions of civilians without electricity, heating and other essential services during freezing winter conditions.

In a report presented on October 26, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine said repeated Russian attacks on power plants, heating facilities, gas infrastructure and electricity networks had caused extensive damage and severe hardship for civilians. The findings cover attacks dating back to autumn 2022, with particular attention to their impact during the winter of 2025–2026.

According to the commission, temperatures fell to minus 21 degrees Celsius in parts of Ukraine during the previous winter, while millions of people endured prolonged interruptions to electricity, heating, water and gas supplies. The resulting conditions placed older people, individuals with disabilities and hospital patients at particular risk. Power outages left some elderly residents unable to use elevators or reach shelters during air raids, while patients dependent on electricity-powered medical equipment faced potentially life-threatening situations.

The commission said Russian military commanders knew that the heating facilities targeted in major population centers were essential to civilian life, especially during winter. It concluded that deliberately directing attacks against civilian infrastructure constituted war crimes and that the resulting severe suffering amounted to crimes against humanity. The investigation drew on testimony from 255 people who experienced the winter conditions in Kyiv and eight other Ukrainian regions, alongside information from government officials, medical professionals and civil society organizations. Commission chair Erik Mose warned that renewed attacks as another cold season approaches pose serious risks to civilian lives and health.

The report also found evidence that Russian authorities recruited men from 29 countries into the Russian armed forces through deception or coercion, in violation of international law. Investigators said some recruits were reportedly offered civilian employment or other opportunities before being taken to Russia and pressured into signing military contracts written in Russian. Many came from economically vulnerable backgrounds, according to the commission.

The inquiry said the recruitment practices involved agents and agencies operating in different countries. It called for people who had been victims of human trafficking to be released from the Russian armed forces.

Russia rejected the commission’s conclusions. According to The Associated Press, Russia’s U.N. mission said Moscow did not recognize the commission’s mandate and described its findings as based on falsified data. Russia has maintained that its military targets military or military-related facilities in Ukraine.

The commission also examined Ukrainian attacks on energy facilities in Russia and Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. However, it said it could not fully investigate their consequences because Russia did not provide access to the relevant territories or respond to requests for information. The findings add to international scrutiny of the conduct of the war as Ukraine prepares for another winter amid continued threats to its energy supplies and civilian infrastructure.