The escalation of the war in Ukraine has been labeled an existential threat to its people by United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča, who has highlighted the severe impact on civilians and the broader peril it poses to regional and international stability. Amidst reports of relentless attacks and rising civilian casualties, the UN has condemned these actions as violations of international law.
Miroslav Jenča, addressing the gravity of the situation on April 11, underscored that Russian military operations have entrenched a “daily destructive pattern”, systematically targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Jenča delivered a sobering account, noting that in March alone, at least 126 civilians were killed and 478 wounded, marking a 20% increase from the previous month. Tragically, these statistics include at least 57 children.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has tallied devastating figures since the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion: 10,810 civilians, including 600 children, dead and another 20,556, including 1,357 children, injured. “This is unacceptable. Attacks on civilians and on civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international law. They must cease immediately, and we continue to condemn them, wherever they occur,” stated Jenča.
Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, brought attention to the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding, with 10 million Ukrainians displaced and more than 14.6 million in need of assistance. Only a fraction of the necessary funding for aid has been secured, pointing to an urgent need for increased international support.
The UN’s calls for Russia to allow access to the OHCHR and independent observers to the occupied territories of Ukraine have been reiterated, underscoring the importance of accountability and transparency. Wosornu also addressed a worrying trend of “double-tap” strikes which target first responders and the wounded, actions that are starkly prohibited by international humanitarian law and described as “cruel” and “unconscionable”.
She expressed gratitude to donors for the US$541 million and stressed that this is currently only 17% of the US$3.1 billion needed for Ukraine in 2024.
Wosornu called on the Security Council to prevent this war from continuing unimpeded and indefinitely. As the war continues, she emphasised the need to respect the laws of war, which Russia is currently flagrantly violating on a daily basis.
Russia’s persistent strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure have also raised concerns about the potential for widespread environmental disasters and the repercussions for global food security. With Odesa’s port city under attack, the risk extends to destabilizing grain markets and inflating prices, with reverberations felt far beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Amidst these grim developments, the international community is being called upon to ensure such large-scale environmental disasters do not recur, as highlighted by Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya. He reported that Russia has targeted critical energy infrastructure with the intent to cause significant damage, with power generation facilities, in particular, being heavily impacted.
Relevant articles:
– UN speaks of ”existential threat to the people of Ukraine”
– Russian attacks ‘a daily destructive pattern’ in Ukraine, Security Council hears UN News, Thu, 11 Apr 2024 19:03:09 GMT
– UN: People of Ukraine under existential threat Ukrainian World Congress, Fri, 12 Apr 2024 12:58:23 GMT
– UN Under-Secretary-General: There is an existential threat to the people of Ukraine Громадське радіо, Fri, 12 Apr 2024 09:11:40 GMT