Tag: europe

Bilohorivka is close to the Government-held city of Severodonetsk, where heavy fighting was reported in the suburbs on Saturday.

“This attack is yet another reminder that in this war, as in so many other conflicts, it is civilians that pay the highest price,” Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement on behalf of the UN chief.

According to news sources, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that around 60 people were killed after a bomb hit the school. 

Supporting those ‘shattered by war’

One Ukrainian newspaper said that Bilohorivka had become a hot spot during fighting last week.

After Saturday’s attack, the UN chief again reiterated that civilians and civilian infrastructure “must always” be spared in times of war.

“This war must end, and peace must be established in line with the Charter of the United Nations and international law,” the statement continued, assuring that the UN and its humanitarian partners in Ukraine “will continue supporting those whose lives have been shattered by war”.

‘Blatant disregard for life’

At the same time, the head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Catherine Russell tweeted out her strong condemnation.

“We do not yet know how many children might have been killed or injured in the reported bombing, but we fear this attack has just added to the hundreds of children who have already lost their lives in this war,” she said.

She echoed others in underscoring that schools must never be attacked or used for military purposes.

“Targeting civilians and civilian objects…is a violation of international humanitarian law,” she said, describing this latest attack as “blatant disregard for civilian lives”.

Mariupol evacuees

Mr. Guterres issued a second statement welcoming the arrival on Sunday of a new group of more than 170 civilians into Zaporizhzhia from the Azovstal steelworks and other areas of Mariupol.

The successful evacuation operation was coordinated by the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

“My thoughts are with them and all the people in Ukraine who are suffering in this war,” said the UN chief.

Determination applauded

He went on to thank everyone involved in the “complex operation”, including the leaders in Kyiv and Moscow who ensured the necessary humanitarian pauses.

“I applaud the determination and courage of the UN and ICRC teams on the ground,” he said.

This latest safe passage operation brings the number of civilians who have been safely evacuated from the Azovstal steelworks and other areas of Mariupol to over 600.

“I urge the parties to the conflict to spare no effort to secure safe passage for all those wishing to leave, in any direction they choose, and for aid to reach people in need,” the Secretary-General concluded.

Testimony of spirit

Meanwhile, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told journalists at a press conference in Kyiv yesterday that for the last two days he has been “deeply moved” by what he has seen and heard inside the country.

“My time here has affected me very personally. As someone…who grew up in a warzone myself, I understand only too well how the people of Ukraine feel – the worry for family and friends, the fear, the sense of loss and so on,” he said.

No stranger to the devastation of war, he lauded the “extraordinary resilience” of the Ukrainians.

“They have not given up [but] kept going, repairing essential services to stop the destruction [from] making a deeper hole in their lives,” said Tedros.

Creative modes of assistance

Since the war began in February, WHO has verified 200 attacks on health care in Ukraine.

The WHO chief spelled out that “these attacks must stop. Healthcare is never a target”.

He spoke of the bravery, humour and kindness that he witnessed amidst the suffering, along with stories of the “spontaneous, often ingenious ways” people have found to help and protect one another.

“Some of those I am talking about are our own WHO staff, who, although they have lost their homes, fear for their families, deal with daily uncertainty, and have kept working to support the health needs of the people of Ukraine,” Tedros said.

Most needed medicine: Peace

While the WHO team in Ukraine continues to work tirelessly to support the country and will do everything possible to back the Government in treating the injured, maintaining health services, and repairing the health system.

However, he pointed to “one medicine that WHO cannot deliver, and which Ukraine needs more than any other, and that is peace”.

“So, we continue to call on the Russian Federation to stop this war,” concluded the senior UN official.

“I said the same thing in Moscow as I did in Kyiv…Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a violation of its territorial integrity and of the Charter of the United Nations,” he told the Ambassadors.    

“It must end for the sake of the people of Ukraine, Russia, and the entire world…the cycle of death, destruction, dislocation and disruption must stop.” 

The UN chief said he had gone into an active war zone in Ukraine, after first travelling to Moscow, without much prospect of any ceasefire – as the east of the country continues to face “a full-scale ongoing attack”.

‘Dire plight’ of civilians

Prior to the visit, Ukraine issued an appeal to the UN and to him personally over the “dire plight of civilians” in the devastated city of Mariupol and specifically the Azovstal steel plant. 

“In my meeting with President Putin, I therefore stressed the imperative of enabling humanitarian access and evacuations from besieged areas, including first and foremost, Mariupol,” said Mr. Guterres, appealing strongly for a safe and effective humanitarian corridor for civilians to reach safety from the vast Azovstal plant, where hundreds have been living underground for weeks. 

A short time later, he received confirmation of “an agreement in principle”, from the Russian premier.

“We must continue to do all we can to get people out of these hellscapes,” said the UN chief.

Glimmer of hope

Reporting on “some measure of success”, Mr. Guterres outlined the complex humanitarian operation underway, led by the UN and Red Cross (ICRC).

“It began on 29 April and has required enormous coordination and advocacy with the Russian Federation and Ukrainian authorities,” he elaborated. “So far, two safe passage convoys have been successfully completed”. 

The first stage at the weekend, saw 101 civilians safely evacuated to safety to the north of Mariupol, while the second phase on Wednesday night, led to “more than 320” from the region finding a safe haven.

While a third operation is underway, Mr. Guterres would not provide any details until it is completed, “to avoid undermining possible success”.

“It is good to know that even in these times of hyper-communications, silent diplomacy is still possible and is sometimes the only effective way to produce results,” he stated.

Crippling fallout

The UN will continue to scale up humanitarian operations, save lives and reduce suffering, assured the UN chief, adding that his meetings with both leaders also focused on worldwide food security.

“A meaningful solution to global food insecurity requires reintegrating Ukraine’s agricultural production and the food and fertilizer production of Russia and Belarus into world markets, despite the war,” he underscored.

The Ukraine war is also setting in motion “a crisis that is also devastating global energy markets, disrupting financial systems and exacerbating extreme vulnerabilities for the developing world,” said Mr. Guterres.

“The war…is senseless in its scope, ruthless in its dimensions and limitless in its potential for global harm. It is high time to unite and end this war,” the Secretary-General concluded.

More than 13 million on the run: Griffiths

The head of the UN humanitarian office (OCHA), Martin Griffiths, painted a grim picture of civilian infrastructure destroyed and over 13 million Ukrainians forced to flee their homes, uprooting lives and ripping apart families.

He noted that the elderly and others who could not run, have been unable to seek shelter from bombs, get out to gather supplies or receive information on evacuations.

And since the war began, threat of gender-based violence has risen with mounting allegations of sexual violence against women, girls, men and boys.

“Roads are heavily contaminated with explosive ordnance, putting civilians at risk and stopping humanitarian convoys from reaching them,” added Mr. Griffiths, who also serves as Emergency Relief Coordinator.

Meeting needs

To meet growing needs, the UN and over 217 humanitarian partners have scaled up at “record speed,” to reach more than 4.1 million people with some form of assistance across the country’s 24 oblasts, or regions.

The humanitarian response aims to deliver assistance and protection services to displaced people; preposition supplies and increase preparedness where the war is expected to shift next; and engage with the conflict parties to push for aid in active conflict areas or negotiate safe passage for civilians to leave.

“To date, we have been able to stage five inter-agency aid convoys to some of the hardest-hit areas,” said the Relief Coordinator, describing them as “a lifeline to civilians encircled by fighting.”

He outlined the successful corridors established for civilians in the Mariupol area in recent days: “We are finally seeing the fruits of our labour over these past many weeks,” he said. “There is much more we can do if we work together”.

Repercussions abound

In closing, Mr. Griffiths assured that OCHA would keep pushing for more civilians to be able to freely leave Mariupol, while also exploring options to reach other parts of Ukraine where civilians are deeply impacted by fighting.

Noting that “the reverberations of this war are being felt worldwide”, he upheld the UN’s firm commitment to leave “no stone unturned” in finding measures to save lives.

“The world expects this of us. The people of Ukraine deserve this,” he said.

‘Situation keeps deteriorating’

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet informed the ambassadors of reports of international humanitarian and human rights law violations and the need for accountability.

Since 2014, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) has been monitoring the situation in Ukraine. And since Russia’s invasion in February, it has not paused work “for a single day,” she said.

She explained that as allegations of violations continue to be verified, many may amount to war crimes.

“It pains me to say that all our concerns remain valid, and the situation keeps deteriorating,” she stated.

‘Killed in front of his wife and children’

While the invasion is now in its 71st day, the conflict has actually been going on for eight years.

“Reports of deadly incidents, such as attacks on hospital No 3 and the drama theatre in Mariupol, on the railway station in Kramatorsk, on residential areas in Odesa, have become shockingly frequent,” said Ms. Bachelet. “There seems to be no end in sight to the daily reports of civilian deaths and injuries”.

Rather than describing the “palpable trauma and shock” of the victims, she quoted relatives of those who perished in Maripoul.

“He was killed in front of his wife and children”, said one witness. Another described a body of a loved one under the debris of her house, noting that they could not even bury her. A third witness described an uncle, “buried in a collective grave”.