Latest news with #UNHumanRightsMonitoringMissioninUkraine
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 Nastya, a chef at a well known restaurant whose family asked for her last name not to be published, lived in the building.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
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.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump promised peace in 100 days, but Russia's violence against Ukraine has only escalated
U.S. President Donald Trump's promise to negotiate a peace in Ukraine within his first 100 days in office has collided with an unavoidable truth — a slew of Russian attacks during this time have spiked civilian death tolls, and a peace deal is still out of reach. "There is no point in negotiating," Maria Rumiantseva told the Kyiv Independent last week, after a missile strike on Kyiv killed her neighbor and stranded her and her family in a wrecked apartment. "(Russian President Vladimir Putin) won't leave us alone." Trump celebrates the 100th day of his second term on April 29. As well as a series of devastating Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians since he took office, Russia's battlefield assaults also show no signs of slowing. In March, the second full month of Trump's term, 164 civilians were killed and 910 were injured, according to UN figures — a rise of 50% compared to February, and 70% compared to March of last year. Nearly all the losses were on land controlled by the Ukrainian government, and the majority were caused by long-range missiles or loitering munitions. Similar figures are expected for April, which also saw the deadliest single strike for Ukrainian children since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. On April 14, 18 people died after a ballistic missile detonated over a playground. Among them were nine children. Recent major attacks in Sumy and Kyiv have similarly made international headlines, while smaller attacks attract less attention abroad but continue to rack up. Last week, the head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), Danielle Bell, called out "a deeply disturbing trend — civilians bearing the brunt of ever more intense and frequent attacks." "The near daily barrage of long-range drones killed and injured scores of civilians across the country last month, and disrupted life for millions more," Bell said. On the frontlines, too, signs of peace are absent, said Emil Kastehelmi, a Finnish military analyst from the Black Bird Group open-source intelligence collective. Rather than pulling back or slowing down, Russian attacks have intensified in recent weeks, though this has yet to translate into territorial breakthroughs. "I suspect that the war will at least go on all the way to fall," Kastehelmi said. "Of course, there's a lot of diplomacy happening behind closed doors. But when we look at the developments on the front, there aren't any clear signs which would point to diplomatic breakthroughs in the coming weeks." Read also: Investigation: The hidden journey of Ukrainian coal stolen by Russia — and who profits from it Dozens of times on the campaign trail, Trump pledged to end the war in Ukraine on his first day in office, or even sooner. "Before I even arrive at the Oval Office, shortly after I win the presidency, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled," he said in August, just one of many similar statements. After his election, however, his team dialed back that promise, announcing a new goal of ending the war within 100 days of his Jan. 20 inauguration. Those first 100 days have been marked by the Trump administration's demands for a deal, a flurry of diplomatic meetings around the globe, severe and sustained pressure on Ukraine, and a reluctance to force any concessions from Russia. After the disastrous meeting in the Oval Office between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky in February which prompted the U.S. to temporarily paused military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, Ukraine has made multiple concessions to stay in the White House's good graces. Ukraine walked back its demands that Russia withdraw its troops from Ukrainian land before negotiations, and has declared its readiness to sign a U.S.-proposed, full, unconditional 30-day cease-fire agreement with Russia. To date Moscow has refused. Despite Trump's aims, signs of peace are few and far between as Moscow refuses to make concessions to its maximalist demands, as well as violating temporary ceasefires it has proposed. During a temporary three-day ceasefire declared by Russia over Easter earlier this month, Zelensky accused Moscow of nearly 3,000 violations between April 19 and April 21. On the eve of Trump's 100th day in power, Russia declared its readiness for another three-day ceasefire in May. The move came only after Trump's recent outbursts showed he appears to be losing patience with Putin's pace of negotiations, and members of Trump's team threatened to walk away from mediation if progress doesn't happen soon. "I want (Putin) to stop shooting, sit down and sign a deal," Trump told reporters on April 27, describing Zelensky as "calmer" after the two leaders met in the Vatican on April 26. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reacted to Russia's latest ceasefire offer by calling on Russia to accept the 30-day ceasefire proposal. Read also: Trump said Ukraine 'will be crushed very shortly' — this is why he's wrong Yet the prospects of a broader ceasefire appear slim as Russia continues to demand international recognition of five Ukrainian territories as Russian — a condition Ukraine has ruled out as a "red line." Among the lands are major cities which experts say Russia has no chance of capturing by force in the near future, if at all. Russia illegally declared ownership over Crimea in 2014, and of Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk, and Luhansk in 2022 despite not fully controlling the oblasts. Conceding these territories as Russia demands would go far beyond simply freezing battlelines — it would permanently hand over territory home to millions of Ukrainians. In the absence of a ceasefire, dozens of Ukrainian civilians across the country each week continue to be killed in aerial strikes, while on the front lines, Russia continues to grind forward with its slow war of attrition. The largest change in battlelines since Trump's election has been the near collapse of Ukraine's positions within Russia's Kursk Oblast. Russia has also reportedly intensified its attacks in recent weeks, including in the Sumy region, though it has not made any other breakthroughs. Apart from Kursk, noted Kastehelmi of Black Bird Group, the broader situation in most directions has not changed significantly since January. "The spring offensive is ongoing, but it has not yielded very significant gains for the Russians," he said. "The Russians are capturing a village here and there occasionally, they are slowly finding their way forward. But small tactical victories don't mean there's any kind of larger operational change in the whole situation," he added. With breakthroughs looking unlikely on the battlefield and in the diplomatic arena, Russia appears to have no plans of changing course. At the end of March, Putin ordered a spring conscription of 160,000 men, making it the largest call-up of men in 14 years. Read also: What's next for North Korean troops fighting for Russia? A possible Ukraine deployment, experts, officials say We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Saba Yemen
11-04-2025
- Health
- Saba Yemen
UN: Last March was one of bloodiest months for civilians in Ukraine
New York - (Saba): The United Nations said that last March was one of the bloodiest months for civilians in Ukraine, who are facing the devastating consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (UNHCR), added in the latest monthly update of the independent human rights team that near-daily bombing by long-range drones killed and injured dozens of civilians across the country last month, disrupting the lives of millions more. According to the latest report issued by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine on the protection of civilians, with at least 164 Ukrainians killed and 910 injured, March 2025 saw a 50% increase in the number of civilian casualties compared to the previous month, and a 71% increase in the number of civilian casualties compared to March of last year. Kryvyi Rih, located about 65 kilometers from the front line, was among the hardest-hit areas, suffering five waves of Russian attacks that killed at least six civilians and injured 66 others. Civilian buildings in the city—the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy—including two hotels and a restaurant, were among the sites hit. The report indicated that approximately 29 medical facilities and 50 educational facilities were damaged by Russian armed forces over the past month, while two medical centers and six educational facilities were completely destroyed. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Norway allocates $285.6 million for humanitarian support to Ukraine
Norway will allocate 3 billion Norwegian krone ($285.6 million) for humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees in neighboring Moldova in 2025, the Norwegian government announced on March 27. "Russia's attacks on civilian infrastructure, electricity supplies, hospitals, schools and homes have continued with full force, and more and more Ukrainians are being forced to evacuate or flee their homes every day," Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in a statement. "At a time when international humanitarian financing for Ukraine is declining, Norway will continue to be a reliable donor to efforts to protect the civilian population and save lives," he added. Russia is continuing its strikes against Ukraine's civilian targets, launching hundreds of drones every day and inflicting civilian casualties. More than 12,654 civilians have been killed and over 29,392 injured since 24 February 2022, according to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU). The numbers are an underestimate, as the total number of civilians killed in Russian-occupied territories is not known. The humanitarian funds allocated by Norway will be distributed among the UN response in Ukraine and Moldova, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Ukraine, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in Ukraine and Moldova, and Norwegian and international humanitarian organizations for medical evacuations and aid. The remaining funds will go to a humanitarian reserve. Eide and Norwegian Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion Tonje Brenna visited Ukraine on March 26–27. During the trip to Kyiv and Kharkiv, they provided Kharkiv Municipal Clinical Hospital No. 8 with a hybrid solar power plant. "We're proud to support Ukraine's efforts in creating resilient and equitable energy access for all. It is vital to have an alternative energy supply for operating theatres and intensive care departments during power outages," Eide said. Norway has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters in Europe since the outbreak of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Earlier this month, Norwegian parliamentary leaders agreed to increase aid for Ukraine by 50 billion Norwegian krone ($4.6 billion) to a total of 85 billion Norwegian krone ($7.8 billion) in 2025. Read also: As Ukraine's fate hangs in the balance, 'Soviet' command culture damages war effort We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
