Statement by Amin Awad, Assistant Secretary-General and United Nations Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine

Kyiv – (8 May 2022) - I am profoundly shocked by reports of an attack which struck a school building in Bilohorivka, the Luhansk Region in east Ukraine, where an estimated 90 people were seeking shelter. 

The attack, which reportedly left dozens of people dead, is yet another stark reminder of the cruelty of this war. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. 

Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be spared in times of war; these obligations under international humanitarian law are non-negotiable. The sooner we seek a peaceful end to the war, the better for the people here in Ukraine and everywhere in the world. 

The United Nations agencies and its humanitarian partners in Ukraine will continue supporting those whose lives have been shattered by war.