Latest news with #HRMMU
Egypt Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
28 killed in deadliest Russian strikes on Kyiv in almost a year
CNN — Russia launched a barrage of hundreds of drones and missiles on Kyiv overnight, killing more than 20 people in one of its biggest attacks on the Ukrainian capital. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said at least 28 people were killed in Kyiv, and 134 were injured. One strike hit a multi-story residential building, splitting it in two and leaving a huge gap where dozens of homes were just moments before. The Emergency Service said 23 bodies had been pulled out of the rubble as of Wednesday morning. Victoria, who lives in the building and didn't want to share her last name, said she spent part of the night sheltering in her bathroom, the safest place in the apartment, listening to Russian drones flying overhead. When she thought the attack was over, she went back to bed – only to be woken by a loud explosion. 'The windows were blown out. It was very scary. Adrenaline was pumping. Just survival instincts. I tried to get out of the apartment, but my neighbors' doors were blocking my door,' she told CNN, adding that she only realized her building had been hit when her neighbors managed to clear the door and she fled to the street. 'I thought I was ready to die and wasn't afraid of anything. But today I realized that I'm scared. For the first time, I was scared,' said Victoria, who fled her home in Luhansk in eastern Ukraine after Russia occupied it in 2014. Oleksandr Ustenko, who lives with his family on the second floor of the same building, told CNN he heard drones flying overhead throughout the night. 'Then we heard a sound of a missile. At some point, everything started shaking, the ceiling shook, and the door was blown out,' he said, adding that as they ran into the hallway, everything around them was on fire. 'We barely made it to the street. We are still here. The apartment is almost destroyed, our car is destroyed.' The Russian assault was the deadliest on the capital in almost a year, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said on Tuesday. The ministry said rescue operations were ongoing as of Tuesday evening, as more people were believed to be in the rubble. Two other people were killed in attacks on the southern port city of Odessa. 'Last night's attack was the fourth time this month that Russian armed forces launched more than 400 munitions in a single night. By comparison, Russian armed forces launched 544 long-range munitions during the entire month in June 2024,' the HRMMU said in a statement. Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said in a Telegram post that residential buildings and other infrastructure were severely damaged. 'We hope that no dead will be found under the rubble, but we cannot rule it out,' he added. 'The death toll may increase.' Klitschko said in the message that a US citizen was killed in the Solomyanskyi district of Kyiv overnight. The mayor said the person was 62 years old and 'died in a house opposite to the one where medics were providing assistance to the victims,' without giving any more details. Later Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed a US citizen was among those killed in Kyiv. 'We condemn those strikes and extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected,' Bruce said at a State Department briefing, adding the department was 'ready to provide all possible consular assistance' to the family of the American who was killed. Despite the civilian deaths and evidence of direct strikes on residential buildings, the Russian defense ministry said on Tuesday that it targeted 'military-industrial complex facilities in the Kyiv region and Zaporizhzhia.' The Ukrainian Air Force said 440 drones and 32 missiles were launched at Ukraine overnight and added that it manage to destroy 428 of them. Russia has ramped up its airborne attacks against Ukraine in recent weeks, launching as many as 479 drones and missiles in a single night. Ukrainian officials say these assaults are not just bigger and more frequent; they are also more concentrated and executed in a way that makes them a lot more difficult to combat – as they are flown at higher altitudes, out of reach of machine guns. A Russian drone attacks a building during Russia's massive missile and drone air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine on June 17, 2025. Efrem Lukatsky/AP Some 27 locations in different districts of Kyiv came under fire in the latest attack, according to a statement from Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko. 'Rescuers, police and medics are working. They are doing everything they can to help the victims, clear the rubble and save lives,' he said. The strikes come as US President Donald Trump announced he would return to Washington a day early from the Group of 7 summit in Canada. His early departure means he will miss a key meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the event. It would have been the leaders' third meeting since Trump took office in January. Ukrainian officials had been hoping that a positive interaction with Trump could advance Kyiv's case amid Moscow's intensifying attacks. Meanwhile, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu arrived in Pyongyang on a 'special mission' from Russian leader Vladimir Putin, according to Russian state news agency TASS. Shoigu is scheduled to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Tass reported Tuesday. Pyongyang has continued support for Moscow's war on Ukraine as world leaders push for an end to the three-year conflict. North Korea has sent soldiers and millions of munitions, including missiles and rockets, to Russia over the past year, according to a May report by an international watchdog, the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team. The US has warned that Russia may be close to sharing advanced space and satellite technology with North Korea in exchange for continued support for the war in Ukraine. Under Trump, the US has been less willing to equip badly outgunned Ukraine directly, has pushed European partners to pick up more of the support and threatened to walk away altogether from peace talks. This story has been updated.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
14 killed in deadliest Russian strikes on Kyiv in almost a year
Russia launched a barrage of hundreds of drones and missiles on Kyiv overnight into Tuesday, killing more than a dozen people in one of its biggest attacks on the Ukrainian capital. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said at least 14 people were killed in Kyiv, and more than 100 injured. One strike hit a multi-story residential building, splitting it in two and leaving a huge gap where dozens of homes were just moments before. Five lifeless bodies were pulled out of the rubble by Tuesday midday, with rescue operations continuing into the afternoon. Victoria, who lives in the building and didn't want to share her last name, said she spent part of the night sheltering in her bathroom, the safest place in the apartment, listening to Russian drones flying overhead. When she thought the attack was over, she went back to bed – only to be woken by a loud explosion. 'The windows were blown out. It was very scary. Adrenaline was pumping. Just survival instincts. I tried to get out of the apartment, but my neighbors' doors were blocking my door,' she told CNN, adding that she only realized her building had been hit when her neighbors managed to clear the door and she fled to the street. 'I thought I was ready to die and wasn't afraid of anything. But today I realized that I'm scared. For the first time, I was scared,' said Victoria, who fled her home in Luhansk in eastern Ukraine after Russia occupied it in 2014. Oleksandr Ustenko, who lives with his family on the second floor of the same building, told CNN he heard drones flying overhead throughout the night. 'Then we heard a sound of a missile. At some point, everything started shaking, the ceiling shook, and the door was blown out,' he said, adding that as they ran into the hallway, everything around them was on fire. 'We barely made it to the street. We are still here. The apartment is almost destroyed, our car is destroyed.' The Russian assault was the deadliest on the capital in almost a year, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said on Tuesday. Ukrainian officials initially said 15 people were killed in Kyiv, later revising the number down. The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said in a statement that the higher death toll reported earlier was due to the nature of the injuries caused, with search and rescue workers recording body parts belonging to one person as separate victims. The ministry said rescue operations were ongoing as of Tuesday evening, as more people were believed to be in the rubble. Two other people were killed in attacks on the southern port city of Odessa. 'Last night's attack was the fourth time this month that Russian armed forces launched more than 400 munitions in a single night. By comparison, Russian armed forces launched 544 long-range munitions during the entire month in June 2024,' the HRMMU said in a statement. Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said in a Telegram post that residential buildings and other infrastructure were severely damaged. 'We hope that no dead will be found under the rubble, but we cannot rule it out,' he added. 'The death toll may increase.' Klitschko said in the message that a US citizen was killed in the Solomyanskyi district of Kyiv overnight. The mayor said the person was 62 years old and 'died in a house opposite to the one where medics were providing assistance to the victims,' without giving any more details. Later Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed a US citizen was among those killed in Kyiv. 'We condemn those strikes and extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected,' Bruce said at a State Department briefing, adding the department was 'ready to provide all possible consular assistance' to the family of the American who was killed. Despite the civilian deaths and evidence of direct strikes on residential buildings, the Russian defense ministry said on Tuesday that it targeted 'military-industrial complex facilities in the Kyiv region and Zaporizhzhia.' The Ukrainian Air Force said 440 drones and 32 missiles were launched at Ukraine overnight and added that it manage to destroy 428 of them. Russia has ramped up its airborne attacks against Ukraine in recent weeks, launching as many as 479 drones and missiles in a single night. Ukrainian officials say these assaults are not just bigger and more frequent; they are also more concentrated and executed in a way that makes them a lot more difficult to combat – as they are flown at higher altitudes, out of reach of machine guns. Some 27 locations in different districts of Kyiv came under fire in the latest attack, according to a statement from Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko. 'Rescuers, police and medics are working. They are doing everything they can to help the victims, clear the rubble and save lives,' he said. The strikes come as US President Donald Trump announced he would return to Washington a day early from the Group of 7 summit in Canada. His early departure means he will miss a key meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the event. It would have been the leaders' third meeting since Trump took office in January. Ukrainian officials had been hoping that a positive interaction with Trump could advance Kyiv's case amid Moscow's intensifying attacks. Meanwhile, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu arrived in Pyongyang on a 'special mission' from Russian leader Vladimir Putin, according to Russian state news agency TASS. Shoigu is scheduled to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Tass reported Tuesday. Pyongyang has continued support for Moscow's war on Ukraine as world leaders push for an end to the three-year conflict. North Korea has sent soldiers and millions of munitions, including missiles and rockets, to Russia over the past year, according to a May report by an international watchdog, the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team. The US has warned that Russia may be close to sharing advanced space and satellite technology with North Korea in exchange for continued support for the war in Ukraine. Under Trump, the US has been less willing to equip badly outgunned Ukraine directly, has pushed European partners to pick up more of the support and threatened to walk away altogether from peace talks. This story has been updated.
Saudi Gazette
4 days ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
15 killed in worst Russian strikes on Kyiv in almost a year
KYIV — Russia launched a barrage of hundreds of drones and missiles on Kyiv overnight into Tuesday, killing at least 15 people in its deadliest attack on the Ukrainian capital in almost a year. At least 124 people were injured, with 68 of them transported to local hospital, the head of the Kyiv Military Administration told Ukrainian media at the site of one of the attacks. One strike hit a multi-story residential building, splitting it in two and leaving a huge gap where dozens of homes were just moments before. Five lifeless bodies were pulled out of the rubble by Tuesday midday, with rescue operations continuing into the afternoon. Nastya, a chef at a well known restaurant whose family asked for her last name not to be published, lived in the building. She was pulled out of the rubble and was in an intensive care unit at a local hospital, they said. The Russian assault was the deadliest on the capital in almost a year, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said on Tuesday. 'Last night's attack was the fourth time this month that Russian armed forces launched more than 400 munitions in a single night. By comparison, Russian armed forces launched 544 long-range munitions during the entire month in June 2024,' the HRMMU said in a on Monday, Kyiv residents heard the sirens alerting them to an imminent aerial attack, and it turned out to be another long and frightening was once again attempting to inundate Ukrainian air defenses with wave after wave of drones and Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said in a Telegram post that residential buildings and other infrastructure were severely damaged.'We hope that no dead will be found under the rubble, but we cannot rule it out,' he added. 'The death toll may increase.'Klitschko said in the message that a US citizen was killed in the Solomyanskyi district of Kyiv overnight. The mayor said the person was 62 years old and 'died in a house opposite to the one where medics were providing assistance to the victims,' without giving any more the civilian deaths and evidence of direct strikes on residential buildings, the Russian defense ministry said on Tuesday that it targeted 'military-industrial complex facilities in the Kyiv region and Zaporizhzhia.'The Ukrainian Air Force said 440 drones and 32 missiles were launched at Ukraine overnight and added that it manage to destroy 428 of has ramped up its airborne attacks against Ukraine in recent weeks, launching as many as 479 drones and missiles in a single night. Ukrainian officials say these assaults are not just bigger and more frequent; they are also more concentrated and executed in a way that makes them a lot more difficult to combat – as they are flown at higher altitudes, out of reach of machine 27 locations in different districts of Kyiv came under fire in the latest attack, according to a statement from Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko.'Rescuers, police and medics are working. They are doing everything they can to help the victims, clear the rubble and save lives,' he strikes come as US President Donald Trump announced he would return to Washington a day early from the Group of 7 summit in early departure means he will miss a key meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the would have been the leaders' third meeting since Trump took office in officials had been hoping that a positive interaction with Trump could advance Kyiv's case amid Moscow's intensifying Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu arrived in Pyongyang on a 'special mission' from Russian leader Vladimir Putin, according to Russian state news agency is scheduled to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Tass reported has continued support for Moscow's war on Ukraine as world leaders push for an end to the three-year Korea has sent soldiers and millions of munitions, including missiles and rockets, to Russia over the past year, according to a May report by an international watchdog, the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring US has warned that Russia may be close to sharing advanced space and satellite technology with North Korea in exchange for continued support for the war in Trump, the US has been less willing to equip badly outgunned Ukraine directly, has pushed European partners to pick up more of the support and threatened to walk away altogether from peace talks. — CNN
Scoop
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Ongoing Russian Strikes Continue Alarming Civilian Casualty Trend
11 June 2025 The toll includes 1,389 casualties in April (221 killed, 1,168 injured) – the highest monthly total so far this year – followed by 1,019 in May (183 killed, 836 injured). Casualties were reported across 17 out of 24 regions and the city of Kyiv, including areas far from the frontline. The vast majority of attacks (97 per cent) led to civilian casualties occurred in areas under Ukrainian Government control. 'This year has been devastating for civilians across Ukraine, with significantly more deaths and injuries than during the same period in 2024,' said Danielle Bell, Head of the HRMMU – the monitoring mission set up by the UN rights office, OHCHR, at the invitation of the Ukrainian Government. 'The intensification of long-range attacks with missiles and loitering munitions and frequent attacks with short-range drones along the frontline are a deadly combination for civilians.' Weapons and impact Long-range missile and drone attacks caused the largest proportion of civilian casualties – some 28 per cent of casualties during May. On the other hand, short-range drones remained the leading cause in frontline areas. Russian armed forces carried out at least five attacks on port infrastructure in the Odesa region on the Black Sea, resulting in civilian casualties and damage to facilities. One such attack on 23 May killed three men and injured 12 more, including port workers, according to the report. Continuing trends in June The mission noted that long-range attacks have intensified this month. Since 6 June, Russian forces have launched over 1,500 long-range weapons, according to Ukrainian authorities. The HRMMU is in the process of verifying reports that these attacks (or subsequent falling debris) have killed at least 19 civilians and injured 205 others nationwide in just a five-day span. If confirmed, June could match or surpass April and May in total casualties. ' At this pace and scale, further loss of civilian life is not just possible – it is inevitable,' said Ms. Bell.
Scoop
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Türk Appeals For End To Daily Killing And Destruction In Ukraine
GENEVA (26 May 2025) – The killing and injuring of dozens of civilians over the weekend, mainly in attacks launched by Russian armed forces, underscores the urgent need to end the conflict in Ukraine and to commit to the steps necessary to achieve a lasting peace, in line with international law, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said today. Since Friday, nightly Russian attacks with record numbers of long-range missiles and drones have killed and injured civilians across Ukraine. According to information gathered by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), at least 14 civilians, including three children, were reportedly killed and 88, including 11 children, injured. The majority of those killed and injured were in major cities such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Mykolaiv, or in populated areas in other regions. Large numbers of long-range drones launched into the Russian Federation by Ukrainian armed forces injured at least 11 civilians over the weekend, according to Russian authorities. 'It is time to put an end to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, to commit to - and implement - a comprehensive ceasefire that stops the daily killing and destruction, and to start genuine peace negotiations, built on respect for international law,' said Türk. 'To achieve a sustainable solution, it is imperative to put people and their human rights first. The needs and rights of those most affected by the conflict, including prisoners of war (POWs), civilian detainees, deported and forcibly transferred children, the displaced and those living in occupied territory of Ukraine, must be at the centre of the discussions around peace,' the High Commissioner said. In recent days, 880 prisoners of war and 120 civilians from each side have been exchanged. Most of the civilians appeared to have been detainees, but details on individuals included in the exchange are not yet available. 'Many families can now breathe a sigh of relief because their loved ones have finally returned home. But at the same time, other families have lost relatives and their homes, as their communities across Ukraine came under attack,' Türk said. The High Commissioner highlighted that, even amid ongoing hostilities, people deprived of their liberty must be protected. Summary executions, torture and all forms of inhumane and degrading treatment of prisoners are always prohibited, in any circumstances, and must stop immediately. In addition, he stressed that civilian detainees should be released as soon as the lawful reason for their detention ceases to exist, and their protection against refoulement must be ensured. Practical measures to strengthen the protection of POWs and civilian detainees include enabling regular correspondence with their families, establishing Mixed Medical Commissions to visit and assess the health of POWs, and granting and improving the access of independent monitors, including the UN Human Rights Office, to places of internment and detention. Background: The UN Human Rights Office has monitored and reported on the human rights situation in Ukraine since 2014. It has in total interviewed more than 1,700 current and former POWs and civilian detainees on both sides. The Office has verified that at least 13,134 civilians have been killed and 31,867 injured since the Russian federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.
