Russia's Grid Attacks Leave Ukraine Bracing for Brutal Winter, UN Says

(MENAFN) Ukrainian civilians remain in growing peril as Russian forces continue to strike the country's critical energy infrastructure, a UN-mandated commission warned Monday — adding that the coming winter could prove even more punishing than the last.

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine reported that Russian forces sustained "systematic waves of attacks" on energy facilities across the harsh 2025-26 winter, a period marked by temperatures as low as minus 20C (-4 F).

Power stations, transmission lines, heating plants and gas infrastructure were left damaged or destroyed, cutting off millions from dependable electricity and heating for prolonged periods. The commission's findings align with prior UN reporting, which had already flagged "systematic" Russian strikes responsible for large-scale breakdowns in electricity, heating and water services.

Commission Chair Erik Mose did not mince words: "Continued attacks on energy infrastructure are making living conditions increasingly unbearable for civilians, and we are concerned that the coming winter will be more difficult to endure."

Investigators noted that Ukrainian authorities recorded deaths and injuries tied to cold exposure over the winter, with some residents forced to relocate as temperatures bottomed out.

The commission also flagged reported Ukrainian strikes on infrastructure inside Russia and in Russian-held Ukrainian territory, which allegedly caused civilian casualties and damaged civilian property. It stressed, though, that limited access to the sites and a lack of reliable information had prevented investigators from formally examining those claims.

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