UN condemns lethal Russian strikes on Ukrainian capital as civilian toll mounts | EUROtoday

According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), greater than 30 places throughout seven districts of Kyiv had been struck in what it described as “the deadliest attack” on the Ukrainian capital in practically a 12 months.

“Last night’s attack exemplifies the grave threat posed by the tactic of deploying missiles and large numbers of drones simultaneously into populated areas,” stated Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU.

Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, additionally strongly condemned the assaults, which prolonged to Odesa, Zaporizhzhia and different areas.

“The people of Ukraine should not have to take cover in shelters night after night,” he stated. “Each day, the war takes a devastating toll on civilians.”

In the southern port metropolis of Odesa, strikes reportedly injured a number of civilians and broken a kindergarten and a centre for youngsters with particular wants – locations the place youngsters ought to really feel secure. In Zaporizhzhia, residential buildings had been hit.

First responders and humanitarian companies are already on the bottom, offering emergency care and provides whereas assessing additional wants.

Human toll rising

The barrage included 440 long-range drones and 32 missiles launched by Russian forces, HRMMU famous in a information launch citing info from Ukrainian authorities, of which 175 drones and 14 missiles focused Kyiv.

It marked the fourth time this month that greater than 400 munitions had been fired in a single evening – far surpassing the 544 complete launched throughout your entire month of June 2024.

Even earlier than this newest assault, the human toll of such ways had been rising sharply. HRMMU had already verified no less than 29 civilian deaths and 126 accidents from long-range weapons in June alone.

The general civilian casualty depend within the first 5 months of 2025 is almost 50 per cent increased than in the identical interval final 12 months.

Mr. Schmale reiterated that assaults on civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited beneath worldwide humanitarian regulation.

“Civilians, including children, must never be a target,” he stated. “We must not normalize the war.”

Refugee disaster deepens

Meanwhile, the broader humanitarian disaster continues to deepen. The intense battle, now in its third 12 months since Russia’s full-scale invasion, has pushed greater than 6.3 million Ukrainians to hunt refuge throughout Europe.

Most are ladies, youngsters, and older individuals, a lot of whom depend on momentary safety directives prolonged by host international locations just like the European Union (EU) and Moldova, in response to a report launched on Tuesday by Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Noting the risky state of affairs in Ukraine, the company urged the respective governments to take care of authorized standing for refugees till situations enable for secure, dignified, and sustainable returns.