Ukraine faces deadly strikes: August marks second highest civilian toll
9 September 2024 16:16
Dramatic news from Ukraine. August was the second month this year in terms of the number of civilian casualties who died at the hands of Russians, according to a UN report.
At least 184 civilians were killed and 856 were injured in Ukraine in August, according to the UN human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine in a published report. Over 90% of the civilians died in areas controlled by Ukraine.
August is the second month with the highest number of civilian casualties in 2024. July was "the deadliest month for civilians" since October 2022, according to the previous report.
The largest attack since the beginning of the invasion
One of the most serious incidents was a Russian missile attack on a supermarket in the city of Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region. On August 9, 14 people were killed, and another 44 were injured.
On August 26, Russia launched the largest attack on Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, striking 15 regions across the country. According to the report, at least 25 energy facilities, including part of the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant, were damaged. Eight civilians were killed in the attack, and 23 people were injured.
On August 30, Russia launched a strong strike on Kharkiv. As a result of the shelling, seven people were killed, and over 90 were injured.
Thousands of civilians killed
The UN estimates that since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, at least 11,743 civilians have been killed, and 24,614 have been injured. The actual number of civilian casualties is likely much higher.
The number of killed and injured in the fighting immediately following Russia's attack on Ukraine has not yet been fully counted. Some areas where the heaviest fighting took place at the beginning of 2022 are still under Russian occupation, making it practically impossible for external observers to examine them.
Source: "The Kyiv Independent"