Consequences of the previous attack on Kiev. UN reports child casualties after new wave of strikes in Ukraine Peace and security
A new wave of attacks on Ukrainian cities has reportedly killed two children. The attacks, which affected a number of regions of the country, again led to civilian casualties and the destruction of residential buildings and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.
According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission (HRMMU), on Saturday night the Russian Armed Forces launched a large-scale attack using missiles and loitering ammunition. Explosions were recorded in Kharkov, Zaporozhye, Dnepropetrovsk, Poltava, Odessa, Sumy, Vinnitsa, Chernivtsi, Chernihiv, Cherkassy, Khmelnytsky, Zhytomyr regions, as well as in Kyiv and the Kyiv region.
Large-scale attack
According to Ukrainian authorities, the targets of the strikes were energy, railway and port infrastructure. At least eight civilians were reported killed and 26 wounded. Most of the casualties were recorded in Kharkov, where one of the missiles hit a five-story residential building. Rescuers continue to clear the rubble, and the number of victims may increase.
“International humanitarian law is clear: civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected,” stressed the UN coordinator for Ukraine Matthias Schmale.
According to him, as a result of the attacks, residential buildings, as well as port and railway infrastructure in the Donetsk, Khmelnytsky, Kiev, Odessa, Vinnitsa and Zhytomyr regions were damaged.
Child casualties
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that in Kharkov, according to preliminary data, a 13-year-old girl was killed girl and 9-year-old boy. Over the past week, at least 20 children have reportedly been wounded as a result of shelling.
“The attacks and senseless destruction of children’s lives must stop,” UNICEF said.
Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported an attack in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, where residents, including children, were also injured. Humanitarian organizations provided emergency materials to victims to repair damaged homes and shops.