Oxfam condemns Russia's recent attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the largest one in months which killed seven people and forced scheduled nationwide power cuts. Millions of people rely on this crucial energy infrastructure in order to access essential services like clean water, gas and heating, especially so as Ukrainians brace for what is expected to be the toughest winter since the war erupted in 2022.
This is part of a continuing pattern of Russian attacks on critical civilian infrastructure which are heavily impacting both communities and the humanitarian response. For example, last week in the city of Myrnohrad in Donetsk Oblast, eastern Ukraine, Oxfam’s mobile water treatment facility that was set to address communities’ need for clean water was hit by shelling. An estimated 9.8 million people across the country are in need of clean water and hygiene facilities, according to OCHA’s assessment for this year.
Oxfam says that attacks of infrastructure vital for the civilian population is against international humanitarian law. All warring parties must respect international humanitarian law and protect all civilians, including infrastructure that is crucial for their survival.
