UN report deplores horrific human cost as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its third year

22 February 2024, 16:36

On February 24, 2022, Russian forces attacked Ukraine, leading to thousands of civilian deaths and injuries, millions displaced, and extensive damage to civilian facilities and critical infrastructure. This month marks two years since the Russian invasion and the 10th anniversary of Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has published a report documenting considerable civilian suffering witnessed since February 24, 2022.

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has exacted a “horrific human cost, inflicting immense suffering on millions of civilians”, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said on Thursday. “Russia’s full-scale armed attack on Ukraine, which is about to enter its third year with no end in sight, continues to cause serious and widespread human rights violations, destroying lives and livelihoods,” he said.

The latest report from the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine confirms 30,457 civilian casualties since February 24, 2022, including 10,582 deaths and 19,875 injuries, with the actual figures expected to be significantly higher. Millions have been displaced, thousands have lost their homes, and hundreds of medical and educational institutions have been damaged or destroyed, significantly impacting people’s rights to health and education. “The long-term impact of this war in Ukraine will be felt for generations,” said Volker Türk.

According to the report, civilian casualties were especially high in the first few months following the Russian invasion in February 2022, with thousands of civilians killed and injured each month. Although the numbers gradually went down throughout 2022 and 2023, they still remained significant, with an average of 163 civilians killed and 547 injured per month in 2023. The majority (91%) of civilian casualties were caused by explosive weapons with wide area effects. Mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) comprised 3,7%, with the rest attributed to other weapons and incidents.

Over the past two years, attacks with explosive weapons have damaged or destroyed hundreds of educational and medical facilities. HRMMU reports 1,072 educational facilities affected (236 destroyed, 836 damaged) and 465 medical facilities affected (59 destroyed, 406 damaged) since February 24, 2022. Russian armed forces’ attacks also damaged critical infrastructure. From October 10, 2022, Russian missiles and munitions damaged energy infrastructure countrywide, leading to significant civilian hardships due to electricity and heating disruptions. Since July 11, 2023, dozens of attacks have damaged or destroyed grain production and export facilities in Ukrainian territory, including ports, silos, and grain transport vehicles.

Hostilities have also brought significant environmental harm. Attacks with explosive weapons have caused air pollution from burning fuel and oil depots, while the presence of explosive remnants of war not only contaminates the soil but also threatens livelihoods, particularly for farmers.

The most impactful environmental incident occurred in June 2023 with the breach of the Kakhovka dam. This breach released a staggering 18 cubic kilometres of water over three to four days, flooding at least 80 communities along the Dnipro River. A joint assessment by the Government of Ukraine and the UN revealed that the flooding damaged over 37,000 homes, 37 schools, and approximately 11 health facilities. It disrupted water and sanitation services for one million people, affecting their rights to housing, education, health, and clean water. The loss of the reservoir, a crucial water source for an extensive agricultural irrigation network, will significantly reduce food supplies and farmer incomes in the long term. The flooding also destroyed over 11,000 hectares of forests and damaged natural habitats, causing chemical pollution and irreversible harm to biodiversity. Among the affected areas were critical ecosystems, including five sites on the Ramsar List and 12 sites under the Emerald Network.

According to the report, over the past two years, the UN Human Rights Office has documented widespread cases of torture, cruel treatment, and arbitrary detention of Ukrainian civilians by Russian armed forces. Additionally, cases of extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, and suppression of the rights to freedom of speech and assembly have been documented in the occupied territories.

Additionally, interviews conducted by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission with over 550 former Ukrainian prisoners of war and detained civilians revealed serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law by Russian occupation forces, including extrajudicial executions and the widespread practice of torture,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, February 20, Philippe Leclerc, the UNHCR regional director for Europe, said that “as war rages on, humanitarian conditions remain dire inside Ukraine, where some 40% of the population — 14,6 million people — are in need of humanitarian and protection support.” He also added that 59% of Ukrainian refugees surveyed said they would return home “if they continue to face challenges in host countries, often related to work opportunities and legal status.”

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