The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, reported a significant increase in civilian casualties in Ukraine during the first three months of 2024, according to Radio Liberty.
According to UN data, the number of victims has risen by 30% compared to the same period last year.
“My office has confirmed 413 civilian deaths and over 2,000 injuries since the beginning of the year,” Volker Türk said. He added that a single week in March saw more than 30 civilians killed and 200 wounded, with actual figures likely higher.
The majority of civilian victims were killed and injured by Russian military actions. The UN highlighted that three years into the full-scale war, Russia continues to use explosive weapons in populated areas, causing unacceptably high civilian losses.
Volker Türk said that 40% of civilian casualties this year occured due to long-range Russian missiles, drones, and glide bombs. He pointed out that these actions directly contravene international humanitarian law.
The UN representative also expressed concern about deaths in Russian-occupied territories. This week, six people, including three journalists, were reportedly killed in a Ukrainian missile strike in the Luhansk Oblast.
This came amid the talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which involved representatives from the United States, Ukraine, and Russia. The Ukrainian side agreed to a 30-day truce, while Russia proposed specific conditions.
The Kremlin’s statement suggested that an agreement on Black Sea navigation safety would only take effect after the removal of sanctions against Russia. The United States did not mention this condition in its statement.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has recently claimed Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, a claim denied by the Ukrainian General Staff.
Türk emphasized that while limited ceasefire efforts protecting shipping routes are a step forward, the primary goal remains “stopping the terrible suffering inflicted on Ukraine daily.”
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