UN investigates whether Russian shelling of Ukraine's infrastructure is war crime

Russia says the attacks do not target civilians and are meant to reduce Ukraine's ability to fight and push it to negotiate - though Kyiv says such attacks are a war crime, Reuters reports. 

However, missile strikes on critical infrastructure cause blackouts and leave millions of people without heat due to plummeting temperatures.  

“Part of the analysis that we are engaged in at present ... is whether the attacks constitute war crimes,” investigator Pablo de Greiff said. 

If the attacks are determined by investigators to be war crimes, the team will determine what it can do to bring those responsible to justice.

Another investigator, Jasminka Džumhur, noted that the group also interviewed Ukrainian mothers. Violations of children's rights were of particular concern. According to the investigator, many people are currently unable to attend schools that were damaged or destroyed as a result of Russian aggression, and power outages are harming online classes.

“These events have devastating consequences for a large number of people. It goes without saying that this is something we are looking into,” Erik Møse, the chair of the commission of inquiry, said.

• On December 1, it became known that the UN wants to transfer USD 5.7 billion in humanitarian aid to Ukrainians affected by the war.