Russia's relentless strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure are undermining Western efforts to end the war, Ukraine's Deputy Permanent Representative Rostyslav Palahusynets told the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Forum for Security Cooperation on 22 January.
"Ukraine is as constructive as possible in diplomacy, while Russia is focused only on hitting and bullying people," Palahusynets said, according to Ukrinform.
256 attacks since heating season began
The diplomat presented stark numbers. Russia has launched 256 attacks on Ukraine's energy and critical infrastructure during the current heating season. Since 11 January, strikes on energy facilities have occurred almost daily.
Each attack "in the midst of a harsh winter" weakens and undermines the efforts of key powers—including the United States—to end the war, Palahusynets stressed.
The systematic targeting has already damaged every power plant in the country, according to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. With thermal and hydroelectric plants largely destroyed, Ukraine's remaining nuclear plants now account for roughly half of its generation capacity—its last major source of baseload power.
New campaign targets nuclear plant infrastructure
Ukrainian intelligence has identified a new phase in Russia's energy war. Moscow conducted reconnaissance on ten critical energy facilities across nine regions. Targets included substations supplying power to the Khmelnytskyi and Rivne nuclear power plants.
By hitting substations rather than reactors, Russia could trigger nationwide blackouts while technically avoiding direct strikes on nuclear facilities.
Ukrainian intelligence assessed that Russia aims to "intensify intimidation of European countries" to reduce Western support amid ongoing peace talks.
This approach was already tested in November. Strikes on substations supplying both NPPs caused power interruptions at multiple nuclear plants, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported. IAEA teams at both facilities were forced to shelter during air-raid alerts, according to Ukrinform.
Ukraine invokes UN Genocide Convention
Palahusynets framed Russia's winter campaign as genocide under international law.
"War criminal Putin continues to wage a genocidal war against women, children, and the elderly," he said. "This winter campaign has a clear humanitarian dimension: the attacks are synchronized and structured to maximize suffering as temperatures drop to extreme levels and disruptions to heat, electricity, and water become life-threatening."
Russia is "deliberately attempting to create living conditions calculated to physically destroy the Ukrainian people—a precise definition of Article II(c) of the Genocide Convention," Palahusynets added.
Earlier this month, the Council of Europe's human rights commissioner condemned the systematic destruction of energy infrastructure. UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission data showed 2025 was the deadliest year for Ukrainian civilians since 2022, with 2,514 killed and 12,142 injured.
Ukraine's call to "turn unity into action"
Ukraine called on OSCE participating states to accelerate air defense deliveries, expand drone countermeasures, and "increase sustained political, economic, and diplomatic pressure on Russia to stop aggression and ensure accountability."
The delegation thanked Poland's "Warmth for Kyiv" initiative, which raised over one million złotych in three days from nearly 24,000 donors, as well as Norway, the UK, Germany, Italy, and Austria for supporting Ukraine's energy sector.
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