Miroslav Jenča, the UN’s Deputy Secretary-General for Europe, urged an immediate ceasefire and a return to diplomacy to end the ongoing devastation in Ukraine. Jenča highlighted the distress experienced by the Ukrainian people over the past three and a half years, emphasizing the need for diplomacy to produce concrete and lasting outcomes for those affected. He reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting efforts toward a just peace in line with the UN Charter and international law.
The recent “brutal” attacks were described, noting a large-scale Russian aerial assault on Kyiv on July 30-31, resulting in at least 31 deaths, including five children, and 159 injuries. Significant damage occurred in various Kyiv districts, impacting a school, a nursery, a pediatric hospital wing, and a university building. Humanitarian efforts by the UN and local partners provided immediate aid and support.
Attacks extended beyond Kyiv into regions like Vinnytsia, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, Cherkasy, and Chernihiv, causing at least 120 civilian casualties overnight. Specific incidents included fatalities and injuries in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. Jenča condemned these attacks as unacceptable.
The UN Human Rights Office reported over 13,580 civilian deaths, including 716 children, since the invasion began, with more than 34,000 injuries. Jenča acknowledged reports of civilian casualties in Russia between July 25 and 29, noting six deaths and multiple injuries. He reiterated that attacks on civilians and infrastructure are prohibited under international law.
Jenča also addressed allegations of abuse against Ukrainian prisoners of war, with reports of torture and ill-treatment from interviews with released prisoners. The OHCHR documented credible reports of 106 executions of Ukrainian soldiers in custody.
Leave a Reply