UN human rights office reports 2,788 civilian casualties in Ukraine News
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UN human rights office reports 2,788 civilian casualties in Ukraine

The UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) updated its report Friday of confirmed civilian casualties in the conflict in Ukraine. Covering the period from 4 AM on February 24th to midnight Thursday, the report places civilian casualties at 2,788.

This figure includes 1,081 killed and 1,707 injured. The report further breaks down the number according to age, gender, and region, finding that some 213 children have been casualties of the conflict. 

According to the OHCHR, most of these casualties are the result “of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems, and missile and airstrikes.”

Moreover, they estimate that the actual numbers are much higher. Because of intense fighting in certain regions, the OHCHR has been unable to confirm casualty reports in Mariupol, Donetsk, and Kharkiv, among others. The Ukraine prosecutor general, for instance, puts the number of child casualties higher at 319.

Western countries have responded to Russia’s indiscriminate attacks with sweeping accusations of war crimes. On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that enough evidence has accumulated to accuse Russia of such crimes. A group of 38 nations, led by Britain, have made similar accusations and referred the matter to the International Criminal Court (ICC), initiating an expedited review.

Such accusations have resulted in a flurry of heated exchanges between Moscow and the west. And as the number of criminal accusations increases and sanctions continue, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rhetoric has become increasingly unhinged.

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