MSF denounces “indiscriminate attacks” against civilians in Ukraine

Follow live the latest news about the war in Ukraine

June 22 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has denounced, based on the data and testimonies collected on the medicalized train that operates in Ukraine, that civilians are being victims of “indiscriminate attacks.”

Between March 31 and June 6, the MSF train transported 653 patients from war-affected areas in eastern Ukraine to hospitals in safer areas. Of these patients, 335 suffered direct damage due to the actions of the armed conflict that began in February.

Some 73 percent of trauma cases stem from blast injuries, while more than 10 percent of these patients had lost at least one limb — the youngest just six years old. In fact, more than 40 percent of the war-wounded evacuated on the MSF train were the elderly and children with blast injuries, traumatic amputations, shrapnel and gunshot wounds.

The MSF emergency coordinator for Ukraine, Christopher Stokes, has stated that both the patients’ injuries and the stories they tell on the journey, which lasts between 20 and 30 hours, “definitely show the shocking level of suffering that violence indiscriminate action of this war is inflicting on civilians.

“Many of the patients evacuated on the MSF train were injured in military attacks on civilian residential areas,” said Stokes, who although he has not been able to conclude that there was deliberate intent in these attacks, he has warned that the use of heavy weaponry and operations in densely populated areas means that the local population will “inevitably” suffer.

A 92-year-old woman from Lyman in the Donetsk region says she lost consciousness as a result of an explosion. “When I turned around, my face was covered in dried blood. I had an open fracture on my arm and I must have also broken my nose when I fell. I was alone and in pain, screaming for help but no one was listening,” she says.

“Later, a volunteer found me and for two days tried to call an ambulance to take me to the hospital,” he explains.

ACCUSE RUSSIAN FORCE

Most of the patients helped by MSF blame their injuries on the Russian military or local forces supported by Moscow, according to the study released on Wednesday.

The president of MSF, Bertrand Draguez, has urged all groups “to respect International Humanitarian Law and fulfill their obligations to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, allow people to flee to a safe place and allow safe evacuation. and timely treatment of the sick and wounded”.

In addition, “we call for humanitarian access and thus be able to provide assistance to people no matter where they are,” said Draguez.