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Recent Russian Strikes Create Havoc in Ukrainian Cities
In recent developments, Russian missile strikes have left a significant mark on the Ukrainian capital, damaging at least 12 buildings and affecting residential areas, businesses, and vital services. Reports have emerged of phones ringing from beneath the debris, signaling the potential for survivors in the rubble.
Other cities, including the western city of Zhytomyr and northeastern hubs such as Sumy and Kharkiv, have also come under attack. Sumy endured a tragic daytime missile strike on April 13 that resulted in at least 34 casualties, while Kharkiv faced a barrage of 24 drone and missile strikes.
“The casualty count is expected to rise as emergency teams continue search-and-rescue operations amid ongoing chaos,” stated the UN aid coordination office, said OCHA.
These escalating attacks come on the heels of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s rejection of a US-led initiative aimed at negotiating a peace agreement with Russia. This proposal included the contentious idea of ceding territories lost to Russia throughout the ongoing conflict, notably the eastern provinces of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, as well as the Crimea region annexed by Russia in 2014.
“Last night’s extensive assault by the Russian armed forces on civilian neighborhoods in Kyiv and adjacent areas represents yet another shocking breach of international humanitarian law,” remarked Matthias Schmale, the UN’s top aid official in Ukraine.
Among the over 70 individuals injured in the missile and drone strikes from Wednesday night were children and a pregnant woman. Schmale emphasized that “this reckless application of military force must cease. Civilians should never be the target of warfare.” He further underscored the need for humanity in conflict, expressing his heartfelt concerns for the innocent lives affected.
Resonating with this sentiment, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has also made an appeal to halt the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, underlining the urgency of protecting civilian lives in the ongoing conflict.
Source
news.un.org