Amnesty International has released a series of survivor testimonies highlighting the devastating effects of Russia’s sustained attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The reports document civilians enduring freezing winter conditions without heat, electricity, or running water, reflecting widespread disruption to essential services across the country. Many Ukrainians described living for weeks with intermittent or no electricity, struggling to survive amid one of the coldest winters since the full-scale Russian invasion began.
Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said that Russia’s attacks go beyond conventional warfare, representing a deliberate campaign to inflict extreme suffering on civilians and break their morale. She emphasized that those responsible for such crimes against humanity and violations of international law will face accountability, and Amnesty International is committed to supporting efforts for justice and reparation.
Testimonies detail the extreme measures residents have taken to cope with the cold, including using kerosene stoves to heat water bottles, sleeping fully clothed under duvets, and setting up camping tents indoors with candles to maintain warmth. Pensioners like Svitlana from Kyiv described the daily hardships, emphasizing the sheer effort required just to survive during blackouts. Many older persons and individuals with disabilities remain isolated, with limited means of communication, facing conditions likely far worse than those captured in the reports.
Since October, Russia has conducted hundreds of long-distance aerial attacks targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, causing the country to lose more than half of its energy-producing capacity. Emergency power cuts have affected 80% of the population, with temperatures dropping below -15°C (5°F). Residents report stone-cold apartment blocks, frozen and burst pipes, stalled elevators, and disrupted phone networks, forcing them into “harsh survival mode.”
Amnesty International has consistently documented violations of human rights and humanitarian law in Ukraine, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. The patterns of Russian aerial attacks demonstrate a deliberate strategy to damage the country’s energy systems, causing disproportionate harm to the most vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly, and further intensifying the humanitarian crisis.
