The commission, set up in 2022, said the intensity and geographical reach of Russian strike waves had grown over the years, inflicting serious damage on Ukraine’s energy sector.
“Last winter, when temperatures fell to -21 degrees Celsius, millions of people in Ukraine suffered long interruptions to heating, electricity, water and gas supplies and were forced to live in intolerable conditions”, commission head Erik Mose said in a statement.
“This year, as the cold season approaches, the attacks have intensified again, raising serious concern about the threat to the lives and health of civilians”, he said.
The panel of independent experts has previously found that Russian drone attacks on civilians and the forced transfer of people also constituted crimes against humanity.
On recruitment, the commission said it had gathered compelling evidence that Russian authorities trafficked people from 29 countries, from Bangladesh and South Africa to El Salvador.
“This trafficking was organised through deception and coercion in cooperation with agents and agencies operating in various states and regions of the world”, it said.
Some recruits had their documents confiscated on arrival in Russia before being sent to Ukraine. “Many were killed or are missing”, the commission said.
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Source: PAP