UNITED NATIONS: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres denounced the deadly Russian missile strikes in Ukraine on Monday as “particularly shocking,” following reports that 33 people were killed, including children, in attacks on civilian targets in Kyiv.
Guterres’ spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, conveyed the Secretary-General’s dismay over the indiscriminate bombings that targeted essential civilian infrastructure. “The missiles that hit the National Children’s Specialized Hospital in Kyiv, along with another medical facility, are particularly shocking,” Dujarric stated.
The UN Chief said that international humanitarian law strictly prohibits the targeting of civilians and civilian objects during armed conflicts. He called for the urgent need for all attacks of this nature to cease immediately. “Directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects is prohibited by international humanitarian law and any such attacks are unacceptable. And must cease immediately,” said Dujarric on behalf of Guterres.
The UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, described the attacks as “abominable.” Turk specifically highlighted the devastating impact on Okhmatdyt, Ukraine’s largest children’s referral hospital, where the strikes severely damaged critical wards including intensive care, surgical, and oncology units. “Among the victims were Ukraine’s sickest children,” Turk lamented.
In response to the strikes, Ukraine accused Russia of using cruise missiles with components manufactured in NATO member countries. The Ukrainian government declared a day of mourning in Kyiv following the tragic events.
Russia, in turn, denied responsibility for the extensive damage in Kyiv, attributing it instead to Ukrainian air defence systems.
