“Like thousands and thousands of individuals in Ukraine I spent hours in a shelter this morning due to the continuing wave of assaults on Ukraine by the Russian Armed Forces,” Matthias Schmale mentioned in a press release issued on Monday.
He added that civilians had been reportedly killed and injured, whereas civilian infrastructure sustained heavy harm.
Young lives disrupted
Separately, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Ukraine wrote on the social media platform X that girls and boys “awoke right this moment to sounds of air alarms and explosions”.
The workplace additionally shared images of youngsters and households sheltering at metro stations within the capital, Kyiv.
Even wars have guidelines
The assaults got here within the wake of Ukraine’s current incursion into the Kursk area in Russia and had been among the many most intense in weeks, in keeping with media reviews.
At least 5 individuals had been killed within the strikes, which primarily focused vital vitality infrastructure, leading to energy outages and disruption to water provide.
Earlier this 12 months, the UN and companions reported that Russia had stepped up assaults on Ukraine’s vitality grid, with the UN human rights workplace, OHCHR, recording 50 incidents in April alone.
Mr. Schmale concluded his assertion by saying it was “unacceptable” that Ukrainian residents had been having to hunt security in metro stations and different shelters as an alternative of getting on with their lives.
“Even in conflict there are guidelines,” he mentioned. “International humanitarian regulation have to be revered. Civilians have to be protected.”
Appeal for pressing motion
The Representative for the UN reproductive and sexual well being company, UNFPA, in Ukraine additionally deplored the aerial assault in a put up on X.
Massimo Diana mentioned the assaults “tragically claimed lives” within the metropolis of Lutsk and within the Zhytomyr area.
“We condemn these lethal assaults on vital infrastructure and name for pressing motion to guard civilians,” he mentioned.