The United Nations has stated it cannot verify details of a reported deadly strike on a dormitory in occupied Luhansk due to a lack of access to the area, which is under temporary Russian occupation.
According to UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban, the dormitory was reportedly housing at least 86 adolescents aged between 14 and 18. During an emergency Security Council meeting in New York, he stated that the attack allegedly resulted in six deaths and dozens of injuries, including children. Rescue operations are ongoing, and the full extent of casualties is not yet known.
Children Bear the Brunt of War
Chaiban emphasized that children are disproportionately affected, calling the incident another example of them suffering the consequences of a war they did not initiate. Verified UN data indicates that over 3,400 children have been killed or injured in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Call to End Attacks on Civilians
Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, conveyed the Organization’s strong condemnation of any attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, regardless of location. He reiterated the Secretary-General’s consistent message that such attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law and must cease immediately.
Pattern Defies International Humanitarian Law
Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), highlighted the critical need for civilian protection. Speaking to ambassadors at the Security Council, she noted that while the situation is still developing and much remains unknown, the human cost of the war reveals a pattern that violates international humanitarian law, underscoring that civilians must be protected.
Vanessa Frazier, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, expressed concern over the reports from Luhansk, mentioning that several individuals might still be trapped under rubble.
UNHCR Warehouse Struck in Ukraine
Earlier on Friday, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported that escalating attacks across Ukraine are leading to an increasing number of civilian casualties and disrupting humanitarian efforts. Bernadette Castel-Hollingworth, UNHCR’s representative in Ukraine, stated that a warehouse leased by the agency in Dnipro was hit by a missile during a Russian attack earlier in the week, destroying vital emergency shelter materials and aid supplies intended for displaced civilians. This marked the first such attack on a UNHCR facility since the full-scale Russian invasion began.
UNHCR also issued a warning about a concerning trend of attacks targeting humanitarian personnel and operations. Last week, two clearly marked UN humanitarian convoys were reportedly hit by drones while delivering aid near frontline areas.
