The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is investigating more than 130,000 criminal proceedings related to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. These cases cover 80% of all crimes committed by Russians on the territory of Ukraine during the invasion, including shelling of energy infrastructure. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the enemy has carried out 596 such strikes on oil and gas infrastructure alone. This was stated by the Acting Head of the SBU, Yevhenii Khmara, during his speech at the international conference "United for Justice. Accountability for Crimes Against Civilians," according to the SBU press service, as reported by UNN.
"SBU investigators are working systematically to identify those responsible. Behind every strike are specific names and surnames. Therefore, our task is not only to record the consequences of attacks on critical infrastructure and prove their systemic nature, but also to identify the perpetrators, commanders, and organizers. And then—to bring them to justice. The SBU is doing and will do everything possible to find and punish the guilty,"
According to him, for this purpose, the SBU collects, verifies, and systematizes the evidence base on a permanent basis. Subsequently, these materials are sent to court. They are also integrated into international mechanisms, particularly into the processes of the International Criminal Court. In the future, the materials serve as the basis for decisions on applying sanctions against individuals and structures involved in the aggression against Ukraine. As of now, more than a thousand Russians have been served with notices of suspicion for committing war crimes.
He also emphasized that the enemy systematically targeted facilities on which the vital activities of the civilian population primarily depend. In particular, enterprises that provided citizens with heating, gas, and water supply came under Russian attacks.
"Damage to one such infrastructure hub can disrupt the functioning of all systems connected to it. This is precisely the enemy's logic: critical infrastructure is used as a point of leverage against the resilience of society, basic living conditions, the sense of security, and the ability of the civilian population to endure a prolonged war,"
He also noted that Russia's strikes on Ukraine's critical infrastructure should be assessed as a systemic policy of terror against the Ukrainian people.
"These strikes did not paralyze the Ukrainian army and did not stop the logistics of the front. Their obvious consequence is different—the creation of humanitarian pressure on the civilian population, especially during the winter period,"
As a reminder
Employees of the Security Service of Ukraine exposed and detained three bloggers who "leaked" the positions of the Defense Forces on social media. They were detained in the Chernihiv and Donetsk regions.