Over the past two months, Ukraine has seen “suffering, devastation, and destruction on a massive scale”, the UN Crisis Coordinator for the country told journalists on Thursday, and echoed the Secretary-General in saying, “we must stop the bloodshed and destruction”.
“At least 15.7 million people in Ukraine are now in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection…over five million people fled Ukraine to seek safety in other countries and another 7.1 million have been internally displaced across the country,” said Assistant Secretary-General Amin Awad during a press conference in Lviv, west Ukraine.
“This represents more than 25 per cent of the entire population of Ukraine”.
Since the war started, civilian infrastructure has taken a huge hit with more than 136 health facilities and an average of 22 schools a day coming under attack.
Moreover, damaged water systems have left six million people without regular access.
“The world is shocked by what is happening in Ukraine,” said Mr. Awad, calling “deeply disturbing” the treatment of war prisoners and that the fate of civilians in Mariupol remains unknown.
Meanwhile, people living in occupied Kherson are short on food and medicines; Mykolaiv has been without water for seven days; and the devastation of urban centres and civilian infrastructure across the oblasts – especially in Donetska, Luhanska, Khakvska, Kyivska and Chernivska – have disrupted critical services for millions, including water and health care.
The UN Crisis Coordinator described first-hand, his account of the devastation.
“I have met with people who had to carry the bodies of their family members and neighbours from the streets of Bucha and Irpin to be buried in gardens or mass graves. I cannot begin to imagine their suffering”.
He reminded that attacking noncombatants or civilian infrastructure is “a clear violation of international humanitarian law,” calling for it to stop and for civilians to be protected and allowed safe passage.
