According to experts interviewed by the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), power outages will last from 4 to 18 hours daily in winter, the monitors' report says.

"This winter will be bad enough with people likely having to cope with scheduled blackouts across the country. Any additional attacks leading to prolonged electricity blackouts could have catastrophic consequences," said HRMMU Head Danielle Bell.

Bell said the impact of the attacks would be long-lasting and required a comprehensive approach.

"National and international partners must work together to fully restore vital electricity infrastructure of Ukraine and ensure those responsible for its damage are held to account," she said.

The HRMMU report, based on on-site visits, interviews with technical experts, energy company representatives, local residents and government officials, describes the far-reaching consequences of Russian attacks.

According to the report, the damage has caused rolling power cuts across the country, with some cities experiencing blackouts for 12 hours or more a day during a heat wave over the summer. The report warned that the effects of the attacks will become even more severe in winter when temperatures drop. Experts interviewed by HRMMU predicted winter power outages of between 4 and 18 hours per day. With an estimated 70 per cent of the population living in urban areas, many Ukrainians reside in multi-story buildings.

The report highlights that these assaults have destroyed around 9 gigawatts of electricity generation capacity – equivalent to half of what Ukraine requires during winter months. By June, 73 per cent of the country’s thermal power generating units had been rendered inoperative. While the attacks during the 2022-2023 winter mainly targeted electricity transmission facilities, the attacks since March to a much larger extent targeted electricity generation facilities. According to one major energy company cited in the report, the 2024 attacks damaged three times more of its power generation units than in the winter of 2022-2023.

Nearly one million children rely on online education due to security risks from the ongoing conflict. Power outages have severely hampered children’s access to online classes, further isolating them from their peers and teachers and worsening the psychological impact of the war. The report also warned that additional attacks could exacerbate the situation even further.

The report notes, the Russia's destruction of critical energy infrastructure, including objects essential for civilian survival – such as heating facilities during the winter months – breaches principles of international humanitarian law designed to protect civilians.

The report's key recommendations are for the Russian Federation to immediately cease all attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and for the international community to prioritize support to Ukraine to repair and restore its energy systems. Immediate humanitarian aid must focus on those most affected: older persons, people with disabilities, those displaced, and lower-income households.