Over 102 civilians and 70 soldiers have been killed since the Russian-Ukraine war began six days ago, the United Nations has said.
UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, who addressed a UN Security Council meeting via teleconference from Geneva on Tuesday, said “there have been at least 406 reported civilian casualties in Ukraine, including at least 102 killed just within the past few days.”
Griffiths added that the real number of civilian casualties “could be considerably higher, as many reported casualties have yet to be confirmed.”
“The picture is grim, and could get worse still. Aerial attacks and fighting in urban areas are damaging critical civilian facilities and disrupting essential services such as health, electricity, water and sanitation, which effectively leaves civilians without the basics for day-to-day life,” Griffiths said.
The UN Under-Secretary also told the council that though there are currently 119 humanitarian organizations operating in Ukraine, their capacity to provide assistance has been limited due to military action.