UN Human Rights Monitors Voice Alarm as Russia Renews Attacks on Power Grids in Ukraine

“This morning’s attack is the largest single-day attack in more than one year directly targeting Ukraine’s vital power and water infrastructure, with potentially devastating effect for the country’s civilian population,” said Danielle Bell who heads HRMMU.

Rescue operations continue across the country, following the onslaught of multiple types of missiles and drones launched throughout the early morning hours. So far five people have been reported killed and 25 injured in four regions, including at least two employees of energy facilities. Ukraine’s largest dam, located in Zaporizhzhia city was also damaged, but stable. One power transmission line feeding the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant lost power temporarily.

The attacks against power installations come one day after Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, came under a large-scale missile attack that caused injuries and damage across the city. Yesterday’s barrage of more than 30 missiles represented one of the largest attacks on Kyiv in recent months.

HRMMU cautioned that destabilizing the energy infrastructure across an entire country  would have an immense impact on the civilian population, potentially depriving them of services essential for their survival.