Announced on Wednesday by the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), report explains the difficulties people face, including long-term physical and socioeconomic harm.
The report also highlights the human rights impact of Russia’s renewed large-scale attacks on critical energy infrastructure in March, the ground offensive in the Kharkiv region in May, and other developments in occupied and government-controlled areas of Ukraine.
The attacks are relentless.
“May was the month with the highest number of civilian casualties in nearly a year, This spring war has caused terrible losses to civilians.“Especially in the Kharkiv region and city,” said Danielle Bell, head of HRMMU.
“The repeated attacks have caused loss of life, displacement and destruction of homes and businesses.“, she added.
According to the report, between March 1 and May 31, at least 436 civilians were killed and 1,760 others injured in conflict-related violence. The casualties included six media workers, 26 health care workers, five humanitarian workers and 28 emergency services workers.
The report added that the majority (91 percent) of casualties occurred in Ukrainian-controlled territory and 9 percent in Russian-occupied territory.
During the reporting period, Russian authorities reported that 91 civilians were killed and 455 injured in Russia as a result of attacks by Ukrainian armed forces, mainly in the Belgorod, Briansk and Kursk regions.
Powerful Weapon
UN monitors have identified the use of highly destructive air-dropped bombs and missiles in densely populated areas and at least five instances of successive attacks on the same location, just as first responders arrived on the scene, causing casualties.
The escalation of hostilities in the spring also saw Russian armed forces launch the “largest offensive operation” against key energy infrastructure since the winter of 2022-23, killing and injuring civilians and affecting millions across the country with power outages, the report said.
Ripple effect
The attacks also had widespread consequences for water supplies, mobile and internet access, and public transport, Ms Bell noted.
“The The full impact of the attacks on energy infrastructure will only be clear this coming winter. “As Ukraine’s reduced electricity generation capacity could leave many people without access to heating and other services essential to their survival,” she said.
Among other findings, the report notes that Russian armed forces have pressured people in occupied territories to obtain Russian citizenship in order to access health care services and retain property rights.
The report will be presented in Geneva. Dong Nhan Quy Association on July 9.
President of the United Nations General Assembly visits Ukraine
On Wednesday, the President of the UN General Assembly completed a two-day official visit to Kyiv, where he met with a number of official leaders including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
During his discussions, General Assembly President Dennis Francis stressed that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine violated uncharted.
He reaffirmed the General Assembly’s commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.
Mr. Francis also noted that the Organization has been working closely with the Government, local authorities and international partners to rebuild Ukraine after the devastation.
“I would like to think that the darkest of the night is behind Ukraine, not ahead,”, he said, expressing hope that the recent Peace Summit in Ukraine will bring further progress in the near future.
