UN Human Rights Monitors Deplore Deadly Attacks on Medical Facilities in North-Eastern Ukraine

On the morning of 28 September, two loitering munitions impacted the Saint Panteleimon Clinical Hospital in Sumy approximately 45 minutes apart. Most of the fatalities occurred during the second explosion, which hit as first responders arrived at the site and patients attempted to evacuate.

“Today’s horrific strike on a hospital, with first responders and patients caught in the second explosion, highlights the ongoing disregard for the special protections afforded to medical facilities under international humanitarian law”, said Danielle Bell, the Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU). “Just last week, I was in Sumy following up on the 19 September attack on the Sumy Geriatric Boarding House, which tragically affected vulnerable older residents”, she added.

Sumy city and the surrounding region have faced increased attacks since Ukrainian armed forces launched an incursion into Kursk, a neighboring region in the Russian Federation, on 6 August.

Today’s attack is the third affecting medical facilities in Sumy since that date. On 13 August, a missile impacted a hospital complex in the city, damaging three medical institutions: the Sumy Regional Clinical Hospital for War Veterans, the Sumy Regional Children's Hospital, and the Sumy Regional Clinical Cardiology Center.

On 19 September, another attack struck the Sumy Geriatric Boarding House for War and Labor Veterans, located near the hospital complex damaged on 13 August. This strike also damaged the Sumy Regional Clinical Cardiology Dispensary and the Sumy Regional Children's Hospital. The HRMMU has verified that one civilian was killed and 13 were injured in the 19 September attack.

Medical facilities are protected under international humanitarian law and are entitled to special protection. They must not be the object of attacks.

“These repeated and deadly attacks are causing immeasurable suffering to civilians and seriously impacting essential health services. It is imperative that these violations cease immediately and that those responsible are held to account,” Bell concluded.

Since 6 August, HRMMU has documented that 42 civilians have been killed and 153 injured in the Sumy region.