UN Inquiry: Russia Committed War Crimes by Targeting Ukraine's Power Grid
The independent commission cites evidence of intentional strikes on civilian infrastructure and deceptive recruitment of foreign soldiers from 29 nations.
By Jonathan Ramirez ·
A United Nations-backed inquiry concluded on Monday that Russia committed war crimes and crimes against humanity by intentionally targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The report states that these strikes left millions of civilians without electricity and heat during freezing winter temperatures.
Commission chair Erik Mose, a former Norwegian judge, presented the findings via video at a U.N. news conference. He noted that the attacks were directed against civilian objects, constituting war crimes. Mose added that the actions amounted to crimes against humanity by inflicting great suffering on the civilian population. He warned that intensifying attacks as winter approaches pose serious threats to civilians.
The commission based its conclusions on testimony from 255 Ukrainians in Kyiv and eight other regions. These individuals reported enduring winter conditions in 2025 and 2026. The report detailed how power cuts left the elderly without elevators for shelter access and hospital patients without critical medical devices. The inquiry was authorized by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council to investigate violations following Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Beyond energy strikes, the report found evidence that Russia recruited men from 29 countries into its armed forces through deception or coercion. The recruits, aged 18 to 60, mostly came from vulnerable communities with limited education and economic resources. The commission named the 29 nations, including Azerbaijan, Brazil, Cameroon, India, Nigeria, Turkey, and Ukraine.
Russian authorities often present foreign enlistment as voluntary, offering perks like accelerated citizenship or mandatory service for permanent residency. The commission found a different pattern. Agents operating in other countries posed as legitimate businesses to arrange visas. They sometimes traveled with the men, who were then forced to sign Defense Ministry documents in Russian that they did not understand. The report stated the recruits were shocked to discover they were serving in the Russian armed forces.
The U.N. Mission to Russia said Monday that Moscow does not recognize the commission's mandate. The mission claimed the findings relied on falsified data. Mose said Russian officials have not responded to requests for comment on the report. Russia has consistently maintained that its forces strike only military or military-related targets, a position the commission's evidence contradicts.
The report marks the first time the independent commission focused specifically on the impact of attacks on Ukraine's energy sector. The findings were delivered to the U.N. General Assembly’s human rights committee on Monday.
