Several Ukrainian cities were hit by a new barrage of missiles fired by Russian forces on Monday, killing at least 20 people and wounding as many others.
He General secretary UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attacks, stressed that international humanitarian law prohibits attacks on civilians and civilian objects, and urged an immediate end to the attack.
In the same vein, the UN coordinator for humanitarian aid in Ukraine, Denise Brown, condemned the military attack that targeted several cities, including the capital kyiv, Kryvyi Rih and Pokrovsk.
“The attacks occurred just as people were starting their day. Dozens of people have been killed and injured,” Brown said, noting serious damage to the children’s hospital in central kyiv.
“Is It is inconceivable that there are dead and wounded children in this war.. According to international humanitarian law, hospitals have special protection. Civilians must be protected,” he insisted.
In addition to the Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital in kyiv, other public infrastructure, as well as commercial and residential buildings in cities such as Dnipro, Kramatorsk, Kryviy Rih, Kyi and Pokrovsk were affected.
Preliminary, unconfirmed data indicate that at least 20 people were killed in Monday’s strikes. According to Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, more than 40 missiles were fired.
May, the month with the most civilian casualties
This latest development comes after observers from the Human Rights Office warned that May brought the highest number of civilian casualties caused by Russian attacks in almost a year.
According to the report of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, between March 1 and May 31, at least 436 civilians were killed and 1,760 others were injured.
Among the victims were six media workers.26 health workers, five humanitarian workers and 28 emergency services workers.
The report adds that the majority (91%) of the casualties occurred in territory controlled by Ukraine and 9% in territory occupied by Russia.
In the same reporting period, Russian authorities reported that 91 civilians were killed and 455 wounded in Russia by attacks launched by Ukrainian armed forces, mainly in the Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions.
Children suffer disproportionately
The chief official of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) In Ukraine, Munir Mammadzade said that the agency is distributing water and hygiene supplies to the affected population.
“Russia’s full-scale invasion continues to disproportionately affect children,” Mammadzade stressed in a post on X. “We have received horrific reports of a children’s hospital in kyiv being severely damaged in an attack this morning, with reports of casualties. Children are not a target and they must always be protected,” he said.
Add Comment