Civilian Infrastructure Research Articles

Preparing for war by fostering alpine winter tourism: Hermann Czant and his ideas on infrastructure for fighting in high altitude

Neither in historiography of alpine (winter) tourism nor in that on the First World War in mountainous regions has (Austro-)Hungarian mountaineer and officer Hermann Czant received a lot of attention, although he was amongst those, who promoted alpine winter tourism not least as an important training for military operations in a war in mountainous terrain such as the Alps or the Carpathians. This article analyses the ideas of Hermann Czant on the relationship between mountaineering, future military operations in high altitude and the construction of infrastructure in mountainous terrain and claims that he was probably looking for recapturing the Carpathians lost by Hungary in 1918–1920 through the fostering of alpine (winter) tourism and the building of infrastructure related to this process. At the same time he was very much aware of the integrative as well as disintegrative impact of the building of infrastructure in a mountainous environment. Therefore human agency and conduct took precedence over more or less permanent civilian or military infrastructure in such areas.

Violations Committed by Israel in Armed Conflicts Under International Humanitarian Law

Introductioan: War has various aims and objectives, including under the pretext of self-defense to defend life, family, honor or to defend one's nation, to ideological issues. The wars that occur also often violate international humanitarian law. One of them is between Israel and Hamas.Purposes of the Research: To find out violations of international humanitarian law committed by IsraelMethods of the Research: This research uses an normative juridical research method. Normative Juridical Research is research on Norms, Principles, Rules and Principles based on statutory regulations related to the problem being studied. The approaches used are the statutory approach, the conceptual approach, and case aprroach.Results of the Research: The results of the research show that according to international humanitarian law, violations committed by Israel in armed conflict involve actions that violate the principles of protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure. Humanitarian law, as set out in the Geneva Conventions, prohibits attacks on non-combatants and requires protection of vital facilities such as hospitals and schools, as well as access to humanitarian aid.

PROCEDURE FOR IDENTIFYING ARTILLERY MEANS OF DESTRUCTION

For evidence in the International Criminal Court of the crimes of the Russian Federation for strikes on civilian infrastructure, substantial evidence is required. Indeed, indisputable evidence includes fragments of missiles and munitions found at the sites of impact. The article presents the procedure for identifying enemy artillery means of destruction, which consists of eight stages. The procedure for identifying artillery means of destruction from fragments found at the scene should be comprehensive, including the determination of the type of munition, identification of the probable area of enemy firing positions from which the strike was conducted, and should include the following stages: inspection of the crater to collect informative fragments; determination of the type of munition; identification of the type of artillery system from which the fire was conducted; determination of the direction from which the artillery shell was fired; identification of the probable area of enemy firing positions. The use of 3D models for reconstructing the shell casing has been proposed, which will enable the identification of enemy types of munitions much faster and without the need for laboratory analysis. Based on the results of the munition type identification, an expert report is compiled, which may also include the names of individuals involved in the crime. Step-by-step execution of the stages in the procedure for identifying artillery shell explosions, starting with working at the crater and ending with comparative measurements, including the use of 3D models, will optimize and facilitate the work of experts at the scene and speed up the process of providing information to investigators. Additionally, applying the stages of the procedure will enable the creation of a database of identified fragments for further study and comparison during the experts' work. Thus, the proposed procedure for identifying fragments of enemy artillery munitions collected from the scene will significantly ease the work of military personnel and forensic experts, facilitate cooperation between forensic laboratories and law enforcement agencies at both national and international levels, and ultimately contribute to the successful investigation of war crimes.

Legal principles of pre-trial investigation war crimes

The modern legal principles of the activity of law enforcement agencies regarding the investigation of war crimes have been defined. It is emphasized that war crimes are complex in terms of their mechanism of commission, which is characterized by consequences in the form of significant destruction of civilian infrastructure objects, a large number of unidentified dead; instruments of commission, which neither pre-trial investigation bodies nor forensic experts have encountered before; by persons of criminals who change their locations, including those who are in the territory of another state, etc. It is noted that in Ukraine since the declaration of the legal regime of martial law by the Decree of the President of Ukraine, significant changes have taken place in the criminal procedural legislation, which established a special regime of pre-trial investigation and trial under martial law conditions, provided for in Section IX-1 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. It is noted that the pre-trial investigation of war crimes requires considerable expenditure of resources, including human resources, due to which employees of various law enforcement agencies, including units of the National Police, are involved in carrying out certain procedural actions. Legal problems in the activities of the National Police of Ukraine regarding the organizational features of the pre-trial investigation that need to be resolved at the legislative and departmental levels are highlighted. Proposals are made to improve the legislation on the regulation of the term “war crime” in the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The requirements regarding the procedure for collecting evidence of war crimes for the purpose of further transfer of materials for consideration by the International Criminal Court have been updated. Attention is focused on the fact that the principles, subjects and forms of interaction at the national and international levels during the pre-trial investigation of war crimes should be properly regulated. During the writing of the article, the methods of dialectics, comparative legal and systemic analysis, and formal logic were used.

Empirical analysis of the cyberattacks of the Russian–Ukrainian war

This research study aims to empirically analyze the cyberattacks that occurred in the context of the Russian–Ukrainian conflict between 2022 and 2023, with a specific focus on the impact of these attacks on civilian infrastructure and institutions. The data collection for this study is based on publicly available sources from the Cyber- Peace Institute, taking into account various types of incidents such as malware, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, spam, information operations, and website defacements. The study employs a network theory approach to examine the structure and dynamics of incidents and campaigns, while additional statistical methods and trend analysis are used to assess sector-specific and geographic patterns, as well as changes in attack frequency and severity. The research aims to contribute to the existing literature on cyber warfare and to provide valuable insights into the cyber threats faced by civilian infrastructure and institutions during times of conflict.

Rebuilding Ukraine’s energy supply in a secure, economic, and decarbonised way

Abstract Since Russia’s 2022 invasion, Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure has faced systematic attack and requires urgent and strategic reconstruction. This study confronts the dual challenges of rebuilding Ukraine’s energy system rapidly to mitigate civilian and economic disruption while aligning this to long-term goals of sustainability and energy security. We demonstrate that Ukraine can readily meet future energy demands through a fully renewable electrified system at costs comparable to those from fossil fuels and nuclear power. Contrary to previous re- liance on high-carbon energy sources, we find a diversified renewable energy portfolio, including significant solar photovoltaic and wind contributions, can ef- ficiently meet growing energy demands and position Ukraine as an energy ex- porter, leveraging its geographical advantages. The approach of our study, based on open data and models, extends beyond national borders and offers a model for post-conflict reconstruction that harmonizes immediate recovery with sustain- able energy transition.

Rising sun in the cyber domain: Japan’s strategic shift toward active cyber defense

This paper provides an in-depth analysis of Japan’s evolving cyber defense capabilities and explores its future challenges. National security has transformed in the twenty first century, with cyberspace becoming a key conflict domain. Japan, like other nations, has adapted to these changes. In 2022, the Japanese government introduced its active cyber defense concept. The National Security Strategy of 2022 stated the government’s posture for active cyber defense, which pre-emptively neutralizes adversary computers. This marked a turning point in Japan’s security and defense. This strategic shift, which occurred notably between 2000 and 2022, exemplifies Japan’s transition in the cyber domain. The scope of protecting cyberspace has evolved from primarily safeguarding civilian infrastructure to adopting proactive measures. This evolution is analyzed in the paper, which contrasts Japan’s approach with Western nations’ military-driven cyber policies. Additionally, the multifaceted challenges and opportunities arising from this paradigm shift in cyber capability development are explored. The analysis encompasses key aspects, including the policy formation, international cooperation, budgetary allocations, and the progress of organizational structures regarding the cyber domain. Furthermore, the study explores Japan’s future trajectory in cyber defense, with a particular focus on its role within the ‘Multi-Domain Defense Force’ and the dynamics of the Japan-US alliance.

DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMATION AND LOGIC MODEL FOR PREVENTING EMERGENCIES DUE TO IMPACT ON PROTECTIVE ELEMENTS OF SMALL SHELTER FACILITIES BY SHOCK AND IMPULSE LOAD

The article examines problems of preventing emergencies due to damage to small shelter facilities caused by the impact of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which, in turn, leads to shock-impulse loading of their upper hemisphere and the following destruction. The development of a civilian protection system against terrorist attacks on civilian infrastructure in the form of an extensive network of small shelter facilities increases the level of individual and collective protection of the population, especially in cities that fall within the area of enemy missile and artillery strikes. Therefore, when designing and building settlements, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of protecting the civilian population from both shrapnel-type damage, which already has a practical implementation in existing projects, and from possible high-precision destruction of the upper hemisphere of small shelter facilities by a UAV warhead of high explosive or thermobaric type. Relevant design solutions should focus on preventing terrorist emergencies due to shock-impulse loading of the upper hemisphere of small shelters, which is formed by considering the information-logic model for preventing local-level emergencies due to shock-impulse loading of small shelter facilities. The information-logic model assumes the existence of two security management loops for a small shelter: external and internal. It is worth noting that the external loop is an integral part of the overall urban (regional) air defence system and includes the block of measures to directly affect the threat (striking UAV) in the form of firearms and electronic warfare. The result of the successful development of management decisions by the external control loop is eliminating the threat of an enemy attack UAV. On the other hand, the experience and individual elements of the UAV are the basis for the formation of initial conditions of the mathematical model for preventing terrorist emergencies due to the shock and impulse load of small shelter facilities. The initial conditions represent the result of the development of two consecutive blocks: a block for collecting UAV characteristics and a block for analysing the shock-impulse load that occurs or is predicted based on the characteristics of the attacking UAV. The basis of the internal control loop is the mitigation design unit, which determines further information exchange within this loop. In particular, it triggers the block for improving the effectiveness of protection, which receives statistical and predictive information on emergencies that have occurred (nature of damage and consequences). It allows for continuous updating of information on the characteristics of construction materials used in the construction of shelter facilities and the effectiveness of design solutions, forming characteristics of a small shelter. The result of the corresponding block is the formation of boundary conditions of the mathematical model for preventing terrorist emergencies due to the shock and impulse loading of small shelters. The basis of the block for forming the coupling equation of the mathematical model for preventing terrorist emergencies due to shock-impulse loading of small shelter facilities is the theoretical and practical achievements of the theory of reliability and its derivative theory of plasticity. An appropriate solution to the problem of preventing terrorist emergencies due to shock and impulse loading of small shelter facilities allows further implementation of management decisions to improve the efficiency of protection. Thus, the study solved an urgent scientific problem, namely, the formation of an information-logical model for the prevention of local-level emergencies due to shock-impulse loading of small shelter facilities, the implementation of which allows to form management decisions to improve the security of small shelters and is the basis for further development of an appropriate mathematical model and methodology. Keywords: information-logic model, shock-impulse load, small shelter facility, emergency.

Spatial Resolution Requirements for FDTD Modeling of Geoelectric Fields

AbstractTo ensure the robustness of both civilian and military infrastructure, it is important to protect electric power grids, smart grids, and other electrotechnologies from known and possibly as‐of‐yet unknown space weather hazards. Space weather can generate intense geoelectric fields at the surface of the Earth, as well as large voltage gradients across long distances of the Earth. These voltage gradients can lead to geomagnetically induced currents (GICs), which are known to produce hazards to electric power grids. The finite‐difference time‐domain (FDTD) method is a powerful and versatile method that has already been applied to the study of geoelectric fields. The advantages of FDTD over other methods are that it can account for more geometrical complexities and realistic time waveforms and that it directly solves for geoelectric fields. Snell's Law predicts that any electromagnetic waves incident on the ground should essentially propagate straight downwards into the low resistivity ground. For this reason, vertical FDTD grid resolutions of 1/3 of a skin depth were usually chosen, while the horizontal grid resolution was relaxed. We find, however, that there is another important consideration for choosing an FDTD grid resolution applied to real‐world scenarios: localized field variations due to currents generated by ground features. It turns out the grid resolution requirements are much stricter when taking this physics into account.

A New Strategy is Needed to Solve the 50-Year-Old Problem - EMP Protection of Critical Civilian Infrastructure

The problem of the destructive effects of High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP or EMP) on electronic and electrical equipment has been well known for more than 50 years. All military equipment and critical equipment of special governmental services are reliably protected from such influences. There are many companies on the market that manufactures numerous EMP protection means that meet the requirements of military standards. It would seem that in such a situation, critical civilian infrastructure facilities (electrical power systems, water supply systems, communications, large medical centers, banks, etc.) should also be protected against EMP. But it turns out that this is not the case! Nowhere in the world are critical civilian infrastructure still protected from such impacts! Why? The main reason is an attempt to use well-known military strategies, methods and protection means for protecting civilian infrastructure. This article proposes new protection strategies and methods for the civilian sector.

Czy wojna Rosji z Ukrainą wzmocni czy osłabi Unię Europejską? Neofunkcjonalizm versus neorealizm – zderzenie perspektyw i ujęć

The analysis presented to the readers is based on an in-depth study of the content contained in the acts and documents of the European Union and concerning the implementation of the EU strategy in the field of security union in the context of the war in Ukraine. The text justifies and proves that the European Union has taken strategic decisions and actions providing Ukraine with strong support for the general cause economic, military, social and financial resilience, including granting its humanitarian aid. In addition, the EU strongly condemned Russia’s indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure and called on Russia to immediately and unconditionally withdraw all troops and military equipment from all of Ukraine’s territory within its internationally recognized borders. The analysis of the research material presented in the study led to the formulation of the main hypothesis, which is: the war in Ukraine strengthens the EU at the strategic level at the same time leading to a clash of diverse forces and interests, which may result in fragmentation of the system, and thus its local (sectoral) weakening.

Research on the state of areas in Ukraine affected by military actions based on remote sensing data and deep learning architectures

The invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation and the escalation of military actions in the regions have led to significant damage to residential buildings, civilian infrastructure, various critical infrastructure objects, dams, and extensive pollution of the territories. In this context, the tasks of remote sensing using satellite imagery and aerial observation arise to analyze the impact and conduct an economic assessment of damage in these areas. This work investigates and employs deep neural network (DNNs) models in computer vision (CV) tasks (classification, segmentation) and combines their derivatives, such as convolutional networks (CNNs) and vision transformer models (ViTs), to enhance the accuracy of damage assessment. ViTs have demonstrated significant success, often surpassing traditional CNNs, and have potential applications in remote sensing for damage assessment and the protection of critical infrastructure. The research conducted in this work confirms the importance of applying such technologies in environments where labeled data are rare or non-existent, particularly evaluating the use of DNNs, including CNNs and ViTs, in analyzing regions affected by military actions using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and multispectral images. The aim and subject of this research also include reviewing the possibilities of combining CNNs and ViTs to improve the speed of image feature extraction, landscape detection, and the detection of complex structural contours of objects, where data are usually insufficient. The results of this study provide a critical review of the application of CNNs and ViTs in remote sensing, identifying significant gaps and challenges, especially in the context of the economic consequences of destruction due to military actions. The technical aspects of using CNNs and transformer-based models for complex CV tasks and transfer learning under data-scarce conditions, as well as the challenges in analyzing large volumes of geophysical data, are considered. The conclusions emphasize the transformational potential of DNNs, especially transformers, in remote sensing under conflict and disaster conditions. Their adaptability and accuracy in various environments underscore their utility in both strategic military and humanitarian contexts, establishing a practical standard for their application in key real, real-world scenario-based territory condition assessment.

Ukraine and Violations of International Humanitarian Law – A Critical Analysis of the Amnesty International Report

Abstract On 4 August 2022, Amnesty International published its report ‘Ukraine: Ukrainian Fighting Tactics Endanger Civilians’, in which it accused Ukraine of violating international humanitarian law ‘by establishing bases and operating weapons systems in populated residential areas, including in schools and hospitals’ and in this way putting civilians at risk. According to the report, ‘[s]uch tactics violate international humanitarian law and endanger civilians, as they turn civilian objects into military targets. The ensuing Russian strikes in populated areas have killed civilians and destroyed civilian infrastructure’. The report sparked some controversies. The question that the author attempts to answer in this article is whether there are any factual or legal arguments supporting the conclusions of the report.

ASSESSING NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS IN SAFEGUARDING CITIZENS, UTILITIES, AND INFRASTRUCTURE FROM TERRORIST ATTACKS

Vulnerable places are usually the targets of terrorist attacks everywhere in the world. The scenario is quite the same in Nigeria. Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in Nigeria have attacked ordinary citizens and infrastructure like schools and hospitals. Especially crowded places are the main targets of the terrorists. To mitigate this security challenge, the Nigerian government factored in the protection of soft targets in its National Counter-Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST). The second pillar of NACTEST, known as “to secure,” is in charge of this assignment. The NACTEST document was launched in 2014 by President Jonathan as a standing policy to combat terrorism in Nigeria. It is expected that this strategy needs to be evaluated since it has been in operation for more than half a decade. The focus of this paper is to examine the extent to which the Nigerian government has successively protected soft targets from terrorism attacks. The paper makes use of both primary and secondary data as sources of data gathering and content analysis for data analysis. The research makes use of the NACTEST document and bases its evaluation on the specified objectives of the NACTEST second pillar, “to secure." It also adopts asymmetric theory as its theoretical framework. The paper discovered that the Nigerian government has, to a large extent, successively protected the vulnerable, like civilian citizens, utilities, and infrastructure. However, sporadic attacks by terrorists are equally a challenge that the government needs to handle seriously. The paper recommended, among others, that the government should provide needed resources, both human and material, for security and better performance.

‘Nowhere and no one is safe’: spatial analysis of damage to critical civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip during the first phase of the Israeli military campaign, 7 October to 22 November 2023

BackgroundSince the Hamas attacks in Israel on 7 October 2023, the Israeli military has launched an assault in the Gaza Strip, which included over 12,000 targets struck and over 25,000 tons of incendiary munitions used by 2 November 2023. The objectives of this study include: (1) the descriptive and inferential spatial analysis of damage to critical civilian infrastructure (health, education, and water facilities) across the Gaza Strip during the first phase of the military campaign, defined as 7 October to 22 November 2023 and (2) the analysis of damage clustering around critical civilian infrastructure to explore broader questions about Israel’s adherence to International Humanitarian Law (IHL).MethodsWe applied multi-temporal coherent change detection on Copernicus Sentinel 1-A Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery to detect signals indicative of damage to the built environment through 22 November 2023. Specific locations of health, education, and water facilities were delineated using open-source building footprint and cross-checked with geocoded data from OCHA, OpenStreetMap, and Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team. We then assessed the retrieval of damage at and with close proximity to sites of health, education, and water infrastructure in addition to designated evacuation corridors and civilian protection zones. The Global Moran’s I autocorrelation inference statistic was used to determine whether health, education, and water facility infrastructure damage was spatially random or clustered.ResultsDuring the period under investigation, in the entire Gaza Strip, 60.8% (n = 59) of health, 68.2% (n = 324) of education, and 42.1% (n = 64) of water facilities sustained infrastructure damage. Furthermore, 35.1% (n = 34) of health, 40.2% (n = 191) of education, and 36.8% (n = 56) of water facilities were functionally destroyed. Applying the Global Moran’s I spatial inference statistic to facilities demonstrated a high degree of damage clustering for all three types of critical civilian infrastructure, with Z-scores indicating < 1% likelihood of cluster damage occurring by random chance.ConclusionSpatial statistical analysis suggests widespread damage to critical civilian infrastructure that should have been provided protection under IHL. These findings raise serious allegations about the violation of IHL, especially in light of Israeli officials’ statements explicitly inciting violence and displacement and multiple widely reported acts of collective punishment.

ANALYSIS OF THE POSSIBILITIES OF USING IOT FOR MILITARY PURPOSES

The most notable change in the era of modern warfare is that information has become the most effective weapon of all. Situational awareness, based on collected information, has become the core of every military operation. Information operations, an integrated network of sensors, weapon systems and platforms have become a force multiplier. New technologies, tools and processes have established the concept of network-centric warfare.&#x0D; The concept of the Internet of Things is one of the answers to these questions. Internet of Things is widely developed throughout the world, particularly in civilian and military applications.&#x0D; Objects and things can be recognized and used to make contextual decisions by aggregating information and sharing with other objects.&#x0D; Using Internet of Things technologies, the State can work more efficiently and effectively by integrating sensor systems, actuators and control systems with current military and civilian infrastructure.&#x0D; The purpose of the article is to analyzte the possibilities of using Internet of Things technologies for military purposes, as well as to identify related security challenges and potential countermeasures, focusing on devices and technologies used in the military sphere.

Protecting Civilians against Digital Threats during Armed Conflict: Final report of the ICRC's Global Advisory Board

In situations of armed conflict, access to digital technology can save lives. However, the digitalization of armed conflict also brings new threats for civilians. Over the past decade, digital technologies have been used in armed conflict to disrupt critical civilian infrastructure and services, to incite violence against civilian populations, and to undermine humanitarian relief efforts. Moreover, in ever-more interdependent digital and physical environments, civilians and civilian infrastructure are not only in the crosshairs of hostile operations but also increasingly drawn upon to support military operations, blurring the lines between what is military and what is civilian.

Problems of realization of the right to a safe environment for life and health under martial law

The article is devoted to the study of problematic issues of realization of the right to a safe and healthy environment in the context of military aggression by the russian federation. It is emphasized that on February 24, 2022, the russian federation launched a war of aggression against the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, which is accompanied by the leveling of international humanitarian law, destruction of economic and natural resources, civilian and critical infrastructure, as well as numerous cases of violations of the environmental rights of Ukrainian citizens, in particular the right to a safe environment for life and health.&#x0D; The author formulates the features of the right to a safe environment for life and health: 1) it belongs to the complex of environmental rights; 2) it is enshrined in the Constitution and laws of Ukraine; 3) it applies to all persons, without reference to the citizenship of Ukraine; 4) it is realized by a person in order to satisfy his or her vital and physiological needs; 5) it is inalienable; 6) it acts as an opportunity for any person to satisfy his or her vital and physiological needs; 7) its realization does not require active actions on the part of citizens; 8) it is protected and defended in accordance with the procedure established by law.&#x0D; It is emphasized that the aggressor country resorts to nuclear blackmail, land contamination, pollution of soil, water, air, nature reserves, destruction of flora and fauna, which leads to violation of the provisions of the Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques, Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions of 12.08.1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I).&#x0D; The documented crimes committed by the russian federation outlined in the article make it impossible to properly exercise the constitutional right to a safe environment for life and health, and Ukrainian citizens are unable to fully use environmental facilities and meet their own physiological needs with their help. The real extent of damage to the environment and the related long-term impact on public health from russian aggression can be assessed only after the war ends and all the territories of Ukraine are fully de­occupied.

The impact of precision strike technology on the warfare of non-state armed groups: case studies on Daesh and the Houthis

ABSTRACT Precision strikes from a distance are a common practice of state warfare. However, the global proliferation of precision strike technologies, like missiles and armed drones, makes such weapons progressively available to non-state armed groups (NSAGs). We look at Daesh in Syria and Iraq and at the Houthis in Yemen as two case studies to analyse the consequences of this proliferation for non-state warfare. Our focus is the socio-spatial dimension of warfare. We probe to what extent precision strike technology is used to conquer and control territory (solid warfare) or to weaken the enemy network without territorial ambition (liquid warfare). The predominant view in the literature on NSAGs perceives them as would-be state builders who desire to govern and hence, seek to control territory. Our findings support this view, as both Daesh and the Houthis have applied precision strike technologies for solid warfare. However, at the same time, both groups have used these weapons for liquid warfare, too, targeting in particular civilians and civilian infrastructure to weaken the network of their enemies. This poses new questions to scholars of small wars and insurgencies and calls upon policy makers to increase efforts to curb the proliferation of precision strike technologies.

Putin’s power play: Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s electric power infrastructure violate international law

International humanitarian law is a branch of public international law that seeks to moderate the conduct of wars to protect those who are not taking part in the hostilities. Under international humanitarian law, belligerents may not intentionally target civilians or installations that are indispensable to the survival of the civilian population. While collateral harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure may occur, international humanitarian law prohibits attacks that may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination thereof which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated. In practice, these principles have not always been honored or enforced. State and non-state actors have deliberately targeted civilians and/or disregarded civilian impacts, often for the purpose of pressuring political leaders to capitulate. The increasing occurrence and severity of harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure in modern conflicts calls into question the continuing relevance of what were once viewed as fundamental protections. In this paper, we present a case study involving Russia’s 2022–23 attacks on Ukraine’s electric power infrastructure, which left millions of civilians without heat, water, or other basic services for extended periods in harsh winter conditions. Considering the scope, scale, and long-term impacts of these attacks, we conclude that Russia violated international law. We also suggest that a new international protocol may be necessary in order to more effectively deter and punish attacks on civilian infrastructure in future armed conflicts and military occupations.