As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, with both sides stepping up airstrikes and drone attacks in recent weeks deep inside each other’s territory, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) appealed on Tuesday for greater protection for the war’s youngest victims.
“Over the past several days, children have again been killed and injured in attacks in the Russian Federation and across Ukraine,” the agency said in a statement urging the parties to comply with international humanitarian law.
UNICEF noted that three children were reportedly among seven killed in an attack in Russia’s Krasnodar region on Monday which injured around 40 others.
This came a day after a 13-year-old girl was killed, and two other girls aged seven and nine were injured, when a drone struck near a playground in the Belgorod region in the country’s southwest.
Right to safety
Meanwhile, at least six children were reportedly killed in attacks in Ukraine in the last seven days.
They included an eight-year-old boy, as well as at least three children killed with their entire family in Dnipropetrovsk region, and two girls aged five and 10 years old in the Sumy region. At least 19 children were also reportedly injured in the same period, the agency noted.
“A playground. A beach. A family home. Children have the right to be safe in the places where they live and play, wherever they are,” the statement said.
“UNICEF again calls on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law — including the protection of children and civilian infrastructure. Attacks that kill and injure children must stop.”
