“The near daily barrage of long-range drones killed and injured scores of civilians across the country last month, and disrupted life for millions more,” mentioned the pinnacle of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), Danielle Bell, within the impartial human rights crew’s newest month-to-month replace.
The mission was mandated by the UN human rights chief on the invitation of the Ukrainian Government in 2014, to assist safeguard rights in the course of the escalating battle.
With no less than 164 Ukrainians killed and 910 injured, March 2025 noticed a 50 per cent spike in civilian casualties from the earlier month. These numbers signify a 71 per cent enhance in civilian casualties in contrast with March final 12 months, says the newest HRMMU Protection of Civilians Report.
Russian assaults on cities resembling Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Sumy, mixed with a number of munitions strikes on Dobropillia, exacerbated the excessive variety of casualties in March.
Kryvyi Rih, situated round 65 kilometers from the frontline, was one of many locations most closely affected, struggling 5 waves of Russian assaults which killed no less than six civilians and injured 66.
Civilian buildings within the metropolis – residence city of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – together with two resorts and a restaurant, had been amongst the websites hit.
Some 29 medical and 50 instructional amenities had been broken by Russian armed forces throughout final month, whereas two medical centres and 6 instructional amenities had been completely destroyed.
“Hospitals enjoy special protection under international humanitarian law and should not be subjected to attack,” Ms. Bell mentioned.
Indiscriminate assaults are prohibited underneath worldwide humanitarian legislation, mentioned UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, emphasising that events to a battle should differentiate army from civilian infrastructures.
Hostilities proceed
UN Human Rights in Ukraine famous that lethal assaults by Russian armed forces continued into April. “It’s an unimaginable horror,” mentioned Mr. Türk, referring to an April 4 assault the place a ballistic missile detonated over a playground, killing 19 civilians, together with 9 youngsters.
Another wave of assaults in Eastern Ukraine precipitated injury to residential buildings and injured scores of civilians on Wednesday. Aid employees are at the moment on the bottom assessing the wants of the affected inhabitants.
“Ukrainians deserve to live a normal life, free from violence,” mentioned UN help coordination workplace, OCHA, in Ukraine.
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