More than 70 civilians killed in Ukraine in less than a week

This article is published in association with United Nations.

At least 70 civilians have been killed and more than 500 injured across Ukraine since the start of May, UN human rights monitors said on Wednesday, as waves of attacks hit cities across the country and humanitarian workers struggled to reach communities near the frontline.

According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), 28 people were reportedly killed and 194 injured on Tuesday alone during Russian attacks.

“What is particularly alarming is both the scale of civilian casualties and the extent of territory affected in only a few days,” said Danielle Bell, head of HRMMU.

Multiple cities struck

The attacks struck cities and towns across the country, including Zaporizhzhia, Kramatorsk and regions in western Ukraine.

On Tuesday, aerial bombs reportedly hit an industrial area in Zaporizhzhya, killing at least 12 people and injuring 46.  

The same day, strikes on central areas of Kramatorsk in Donetsk region reportedly killed at least six people and injured 13 others.

HRMMU said many of the attacks occurred during daytime hours in densely populated urban areas, contributing to the high civilian toll.

“Many of the civilians killed and injured were carrying out ordinary civilian activities – commuting, working, shopping, walking or responding to earlier strikes,” Ms. Bell said. “In such circumstances, civilian harm is foreseeable.”

First responders at risk

Emergency workers and first responders were also among those killed and injured.

In the Poltava region, two emergency workers were killed when a second strike hit a gas extraction facility that had already been attacked overnight between 4 and 5 May. In Kherson, medical personnel reportedly came under attack by a short-range drone while assisting people affected by an earlier strike.

Under international humanitarian law, any combatant is obliged to take all feasible measures to minimise civilian casualties, including considering both the time of the attacks and the type of weapon to use, HRMMU said.

Humanitarian efforts continue

Despite the insecurity, humanitarian convoys continued to reach hard-hit communities near the frontline.

The UN relief coordination office, OCHA, said aid convoys delivered medicines, hygiene supplies, solar lamps and construction materials to residents in Donetsk and Kharkiv regions over the past two days.

So far this year, the UN and its partners have carried out 20 humanitarian convoys, reaching nearly 22,000 highly vulnerable people along the frontline.