Ukraine: Senior official stresses need to protect civilians amid ‘massive’ attacks
“Over the past few weeks, we have seen increasing attacks affecting civilians and public infrastructure,” WHO Ukraine said in a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
Since the weekend, several areas of Ukraine including the eastern city of Kharkiv, the Sumy and Donetsk regions and the Kyiv, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia regions have been hit by deadly airstrikes.
WHO Ukraine said the “brutal attack” in Lviv “has claimed the lives of at least seven people, including children, and injured 47 others”, while A medical facility was also affected.
Particularly the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) posted on X that “indiscriminate attacks on children and their schools have marred the start of the new academic year”.
Buildings in Lviv were damaged following drone and missile attacks on the western Ukrainian city on Wednesday.
Strikes in central Ukraine
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported Kryvyi Rih, in the center of the country, was also hit by airstrikes on Wednesday. Dozens of civilians were injured, including children, and six schools were damaged, according to local authorities.
“Immediately after the attack, aid workers began providing medical and psychological support to those affected,” the agency said.
Humanitarians have organized meals and drinks for affected residents and rescuers. They also transported and distributed materials to cover the damage, and people also received legal assistance and registered for cash assistance.
Visit of the Humanitarian Coordinator
The latest attacks came a day after a rocket attack on a military academy and nearby hospital in explosion in central city of Poltava leaves at least 50 people dead and more than 270 injured – among the deadliest single attacks since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
The UN humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, was in Poltava on Wednesday, where he witnessed the impact.
Speaking in a video posted on X, he said “massive” attacks had occurred across Ukraine since Friday.
“These attacks have resulted in the destruction of civilian infrastructure, including many educational and medical facilities, and It is despicable when civil infrastructure is destroyed.“, he said.
Respect for international humanitarian law
He also pointed out the human casualties, with many civilians killed and seriously injured, and expressed shock and outrage.
“No one should die. No one should be injured,” he said. “And I reiterate the calls that the United Nations has made over and over again to respect international humanitarian law and do everything to keep civilians safe and protect critical civilian infrastructure.”
Mr Schmale also said he would like to send his condolences to the families of those killed in the Poltava attack on Tuesday.
“Young people who came to study here were killed,” he said, adding that “it is a shame that young lives are taken from this planet too soon,” before expressing solidarity with affected families across the country.
Care for displaced people
United Nations Refugee Agency United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees called on Wednesday for an immediate end to attacks on civilians in Ukraine.
Spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh recalled that so far, the war has created more than six million refugees in Europe alone, while an estimated 3.6 million people at home have been internally displaced.
“For us at UNHCR, the focus of responding to these attacks is to provide immediate assistance, whether it be in terms of shelter, assistance, evacuation, documentation, psychological support, helping separated families, etc,” he said.
Mr Saltmarsh added that in addition to the increase in attacks, UNHCR’s primary concern now was the coming winter months, warning that “needs will increase, certainly in terms of fuel, energy, shelter, warm clothing, etc.”
An IAEA team of experts tours the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant and the surrounding area. (file)
Nuclear safety efforts continue
Meanwhile, a new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)) emphasized its efforts to ensure nuclear safety and security amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The report highlights the challenges and achievements in securing the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and helping to prevent nuclear accidents since the deployment of the mission there in September 2022.
Located in southern Ukraine, Zaporizhzhya is Europe’s largest nuclear power plant and has been on the front line of the conflict. The plant has been under Russian control since the early days of the full-scale invasion.
Precarious and very fragile
IAEA teams stationed there have reported incidents including shelling and drone attacks at the facility, which also suffers intermittent off-site power outages.
Writing in the foreword to the report, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi noted that the situation at the Zaporizhzhya plant remains precarious and very fragile.
“Two years after the IAEA resumed its presence at the occupied Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, Our commitment to helping prevent nuclear accidents remains steadfast.“, he said.
“Amid significant challenges and risks to nuclear safety and security, we remain steadfast in our mission to assess the situation and inform the international community.”
Nuclear Safety Support
The report was issued as Mr Grossi visited the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, his fifth during the conflict. Since his last visit in February, the plant has been hit by drones and lost power lines, while a fire last month caused significant damage to one of its two cooling towers.
“The objective and fair assessments of the situation made by our team have made a significant contribution to maintaining nuclear safety, security and safeguards” at the plant, he said.
The IAEA has experts stationed at four other Ukrainian nuclear sites and the report also summarizes developments, activities and support at these sites since missions were established there in early 2023.
Reassure the international community
In total, the IAEA has conducted 139 Support and Assistance Missions to nuclear sites in Ukraine. In addition, the IAEA’s comprehensive support to Ukraine has facilitated 61 deliveries of equipment to the country, with a total value of over €10 million.
The agency also continues critical safeguards verification activities across Ukraine, ensuring there is no diversion of nuclear material for military purposes.
“As I make my fifth visit to the ZNPP and my tenth visit to Ukraine since the conflict began, I want to reassure the international community that the IAEA and I as Director General will continue to do everything possible within our mandate to assist in preventing a nuclear or radiological accident at any Ukrainian nuclear facility,” Mr Grossi said.
