Russian missile and drone attacks on power plants and other civilian infrastructure in Ukraine are “acts of sheer terror” that amount to war crimes, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on October 19. .
“Yesterday we saw again Russia’s targeted attacks on civilian infrastructure. This marks a new chapter in an already very cruel war. The international order is very clear. These are war crimes,” he said. von der Leyen in a speech to lawmakers in the European Parliament. .
For more than a week, Russia has repeatedly targeted civilian targets and infrastructure across Ukraine that have killed dozens of people and disabled nearly a third of the country’s power plants, knocking out electricity in more than 1,000 cities and towns.
“Targeted attacks against civilian infrastructure with the clear aim of isolating men, women, children [from] water, electricity and heating with the onset of winter, these are acts of pure terror and we have to call it that,” von der Leyen said.
She also reiterated the European Union’s support for Ukraine “as long as necessary”.
By RFE/RL
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