RUSSIAN INDISCRIMINATE ATTACKS ON KHERSON, ONCE AGAIN, DENY CIVILIANS THEIR ACCESS TO HUMANITARIAN AID WHEN THEY NEED IT THE MOST

I am horrified by the news that another wave of indiscriminate strikes by the Russian Federation has damaged facilities and critical supplies of at least three humanitarian organizations in Kherson today. The warehouses of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and the local NGO Shchedryk were burned to the ground, destroying much-needed relief supplies. The facilities of the international NGO HEKS/EPER were also impacted. Today’s strikes have also damaged homes, a health facility and left civilians, yet again, injured in Kherson.

These attacks impact humanitarians’ capacity to carry out their life-saving work and, ultimately, deny civilians their access to aid when they need it the most. The people of Kherson – and those living along the entire front line in the east and south – are, indeed, bearing the brunt of this war. The level of destruction is massive and, with the onset of the winter, aid is as necessary as ever.

Indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas are prohibited under international humanitarian law. Humanitarian workers, facilities and assets are protected under international humanitarian law.

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Kyiv, 20 December 2023