EU legislators have labeled Russia a “state sponsor of terrorism.” as millions of people in Ukraine and Moldova are without power
On Wednesday, November 23, the European Parliament designated Russia as a “state sponsor of terrorism,” accusing its forces of atrocities in Ukraine.
The European legislators’ action is a symbolic political step with no legal consequences, but MEPs urged the governments of the EU’s 27 member states to follow suit.
“The Russian Federation’s deliberate attacks and atrocities against the civilian population of Ukraine, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, and other serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law amount to acts of terror,” according to a resolution approved by EU lawmakers.
The symbolic move came as Russian military strikes targeted energy infrastructure in Kyiv and other western Ukraine regions, knocking out millions of people and causing widespread power outages in neighboring Moldova.
Earlier in the day, Russian missiles struck a maternity ward in Zaporizhzhia’s southern region, killing a newborn baby.
According to the country’s nuclear energy firm Energoatom, power units at three Ukrainian nuclear power plants have been turned off following the latest Russian missile strikes.
According to Energoatom, emergency protection was activated at the Rivne, Pivdennoukrainsk, and Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plants “due to a decrease in frequency in Ukraine’s energy system.”
“They (power units) are currently working in project mode, with no generation into the domestic energy system,” Energoatom explained.
According to Moldova’s deputy prime minister, Russian missile strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have caused blackouts in half of the country.
“Massive blackout in Moldova following today’s Russian attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure,” said Andrei Spinu, the infrastructure minister.
“The TSO (transmission system operator) Moldelectrica is working to reconnect more than 50% of the country to electricity.”
Power outages have also been reported in Transnistria, a breakaway Russian-backed region, according to the local interior ministry.
