THERE ARE NO EXCUSES: OSNAT LUBRANI, HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR FOR UKRAINE, ON THE AIRSTRIKE THAT HIT A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING IN SERHIIVKA
01 July 2022
Today, the people of Ukraine woke up to see, once again, a group of civilians killed and injured by a senseless attack that this time hit Serhiivka in southern Odeska oblast. I was horrified by the images of the residential building completely destroyed, and my heart broke to see the rescuers still trying to find survivors under the debris. Until yesterday, it was home for the families of at least 16 people that were killed by the strike. Another four people, including a child, were killed in the recreational facility that was also hit nearby, according to the information verified by the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine. Dozens have been injured, and some are now receiving attention at the local hospital.
It has not been even a week since dozens of civilians met the same terrible fate when another airstrike hit a shopping mall in the centre of Kremenchuk, in central Ukraine, killing and injuring many people who were just trying to carry on with their lives. Over the last days, we continued to receive mounting reports of civilians killed and injured due to intense hostilities across both Government and non-Government-controlled areas of Donetska and Luhanska oblasts.
The level of human suffering caused by this war has no limits.
The people of this country have had enough and have seen way too many of their loved ones killed, injured and traumatized, their families separated, and their homes, schools and hospitals bombed. It is high time that the parties to the conflict started to decisively comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. I call on them to respect the law and act in accordance with the principle of precaution, doing everything feasible to minimize or avoid civilian harm, including by verifying targets. There are no excuses.
For more information, please contact OCHA Ukraine:
Saviano Abreu, deabreuisidoro@un.org
Saviano Abreu
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