The European Parliament passed a resolution on Nov. 23 marking Russia as a “state sponsor of terrorism,” saying Russia's deliberate attacks on civilian targets, including energy infrastructure, schools, and shelters, violate international law.
President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the European lawmakers' decision, saying Russia "must be isolated at all levels and held accountable in order to end its long-standing policy of terrorism in Ukraine and across the globe."
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on the world in August to make the move to label Russia a state sponsor of terrorism. "No business, no contacts, no cultural projects," he said. "We need a wall between civilization and barbarians striking peaceful cities with missiles."
On Nov. 20, Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office reported that Russia's full-scale war has killed 8,311 civilians, including 437 children, and injured over 11,000 people since Feb. 24. These figures are expected to be higher as Ukrainian authorities do not have access to occupied territories.
Russia has indiscriminately targeted Ukraine's civilian infrastructure since the start of its full-scale war. Since early October, Russia has also launched mass attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, admitting that the country's energy facilities are its primary goal. According to the Geneva Conventions, attacking vital public infrastructure is a war crime.
