Russia carries out more than 167,000 attacks on civilian sites in Ukraine since start of war – SSU
Russia has carried out more than 167,000 attacks on civilian infrastructure and other civilian sites in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion.
According to Ukrinform, Artem Bondarenko, Chief of Staff of the Anti-Terrorist Center at the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), made the statement during the 95th plenary meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.
Bondarenko said that Ukraine’s experience demonstrates that Russia systematically uses terrorist methods as an instrument of state policy. He noted that since February 2022, Ukraine has documented more than 167,000 attacks on civilian targets. He added that particularly illustrative examples of Russian terror were the winter attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, whose objective was to deprive millions of people of electricity, heating, water, and other basic means of survival during periods of extremely low temperatures.
He also stressed that, in addition to strikes on civilian infrastructure, Russia operates in other domains. In particular, he said, it continuously carries out cyberattacks and recruits Ukrainian citizens to commit terrorist attacks and acts of sabotage.
Bondarenko added that Ukraine is systematically countering the enemy’s attempts to recruit Ukrainians through online platforms to carry out sabotage and terrorist acts. He noted that, in most cases, Russian intelligence services seek to exploit vulnerable groups of the population and minors.
He also highlighted the issue of nuclear security, noting that Russia regularly creates threats to the operation of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities. These include military activity near nuclear power plants, strikes on radioactive waste storage sites, and attacks on energy infrastructure connected to nuclear facilities.
Bondarenko concluded that the occupation and militarization of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, combined with Russia’s deployment of nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus, have created an unprecedented situation of nuclear coercion and intimidation that poses a threat to the entire European continent. He added that Ukraine believes effective counterterrorism efforts during armed conflicts require stronger international coordination, enhanced protection of critical infrastructure, and accountability for those responsible for attacks against civilians.
As Ukrinform previously reported, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in a recent report that Russian forces deliberately launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine ahead of the NATO summit in an effort to achieve an information and psychological effect.