In the early hours of June 18, Russian military forces launched attacks on two districts in the Poltava region of Ukraine, targeting energy infrastructure and resulting in significant power outages, according to regional military administration head Vitaliy Dyakivnych.
The strikes hit both industrial and private enterprises in the Poltava district, damaging technological equipment and an administrative building. One individual sustained injuries and has been hospitalized. Additionally, drones struck a private residence and an energy facility, leading to further disruptions in electricity supply. Crews from Poltavaoblenergo are currently working to restore power.
In the Myrhorod district, damage was reported to storage facilities due to the drone strikes.
Russian forces have consistently targeted Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure using a variety of weaponry, including drones, missiles, and multiple rocket launch systems. These attacks have raised concerns among Ukrainian authorities and international organizations, who classify them as war crimes committed by the Russian Federation.
Officials assert that the strikes are deliberate attempts to undermine essential services, including electricity, heating, water supply, and medical assistance, which they argue could constitute genocidal actions. Legal experts and human rights advocates have pointed out that such attacks are indicative of a broader strategy aimed at erasing Ukrainian identity and culture.
The 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide obligates signatory countries to prevent and punish acts of genocide during both wartime and peacetime. The Convention defines genocide as actions intended to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.
Signs of genocide include the killing of group members, causing serious bodily or mental harm, and deliberately inflicting living conditions calculated to bring about the group’s destruction. Moreover, public incitement to commit such acts is also included in the definition.
Despite the evidence, Russian leadership continues to deny any intentional strikes on civilian infrastructure, claiming that their military operations do not target non-combatants.
Russian military strikes in the Poltava region have resulted in power outages and damage to infrastructure, prompting concerns of war crimes. Ukrainian officials argue these actions are part of a broader genocidal strategy against the Ukrainian people.