Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure have sparked "a new level of need" in the war-torn country, the UN aid chief said on Tuesday, warning that millions of people are without heat as temperatures drop.
Nearly half of Ukraine's energy system has been damaged after months of systematic Russian strikes on power infrastructure, with fresh attacks carried out on Monday.
The destruction requires more support from the international community to Ukraine, he said, underscoring that loss of energy infrastructure has "left millions of people without access to heat, electricity and water," with temperatures expected to plunge to below -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit).
"In Ukraine today, the ability of civilians to survive is under attack," he added.
Griffiths warned that more people risked being displaced by the conflict, which he said has already forced 14 million people from their homes, including 6.5 million within Ukraine and more than 7.8 million who fled the country.
The French ambassador to the UN, Nicolas de Riviere, accused Russia of "using winter as a weapon of war."
The UN humanitarian agency has made a record-breaking appeal for $51.5 billion in funds for 2023 to address soaring humanitarian needs worldwide, driven by the conflict in Ukraine and climate change.
