According to a report by the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, Russian air strikes on Ukraine’s electricity generation, transmission, and distribution facilities likely violate international humanitarian law. The report highlighted nine waves of attacks between March and August, which have left Ukrainian cities without power for hours on end. The targeting of Ukraine’s energy system has been deemed a war crime, with the ICC issuing arrest warrants for Russian officials. The attacks pose risks to water supply, sanitation, heating, hot water, public health, education, and the wider economy.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the allocation of 160 million euros to meet Ukraine’s urgent humanitarian needs for the winter. The attacks on energy infrastructure have led to power outages, with experts warning of up to 18 hours of power cuts a day this winter. Ukrainian regions like Sumy, Kupiansk, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhia have seen civilian infrastructure damaged and casualties due to Russian attacks.
President Zelenskyy of Ukraine recently completed his “Victory Plan” to bring peace to the country while maintaining strength and avoiding frozen conflicts. The plan, which will be presented to US President Biden at the UN General Assembly, aims to create terms acceptable to Ukraine and bring an end to Russian aggression. Zelenskyy emphasized the need for peace and rejected any manipulations that would simply postpone the war.
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