Thank you, Madam Chair. Earlier this week, temperatures in many regions across Ukraine dipped below zero, a reminder that winter is approaching. Following a sustained Russian campaign to destroy systematically much of Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure, the country faces its most difficult winter yet.
Russia has regularly targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since its illegal full-scale invasion began nearly 1000 days ago. However, this year we witnessed a step change in the intensity of these attacks.
According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, between March and August this year, Russia attacked 36 power generation facilities and at least 101 power distribution and transmission facilities. In recent months Russia has shifted its focus from high-voltage substations to regional distribution substations.
The consequence of these attacks is Ukraine’s energy generation capacity is about one-third of what it was at the beginning of 2022. Millions of people are facing disruption to power, heating, and water supply. As temperatures drop and energy demand increases, Ukraine faces a significant electricity deficit and daily power cuts. The heaviest burden will fall on the most vulnerable, with older people, in particular older women, those with disabilities, and displaced children being the most affected. Russia is making an appalling humanitarian situation, of their own making, even worse.
This situation was not an accident. Russia has admitted to this Council that it is targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. They have attempted to justify their actions by claiming that they are degrading facilities that support Ukraine’s military industrial complex. This is not an acceptable justification under international humanitarian law, which relies on the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution to protect civilians and civilian objects. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine found that Russia’s attacks likely violated all three of these principles. The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine concluded that these attacks constituted the war crime of excessive incidental civilian harm and potentially a crime against humanity.
We have also heard Russia threaten Ukraine in this room that it could turn off 75% of its remaining electricity by hitting just five targets. This could only be a reference to Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. Such threats are unacceptable. As is the risk to Ukraine’s nuclear power plants of an unreliable power supply due to Russia’s sustained attacks against Ukraine’s grid.
Madam Chair, Ukraine’s people have consistently responded to Russia’s unprovoked aggression with courage and ingenuity. We have no doubt that they will do so again this winter, although they will not do so alone. The UK has committed almost £370m since 2022 to help Ukraine respond to attacks on its energy infrastructure and to support recovery, and we are working closely with the Ukrainian authorities on physical protection, repairs and decentralised generation.
We call on Russia to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and the OSCE Decalogue; to cease targeting infrastructure that provides essential needs for Ukraine’s population; and to withdraw from the internationally recognised territory of Ukraine. Thank you.