Despite diplomatic efforts, hostilities in Ukraine have intensified, leading to an increase in the number of civilian casualties. This was stated by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk.
This is reported by Kyiv24
According to him, in the first three months of this year, the number of casualties increased by 30% compared to the same period last year.
“My office has confirmed that since the beginning of the year, 413 civilians have been killed, and over 2000 have been injured. In just one week in March, more than 30 civilians were killed and another 200 were injured, and the real numbers are likely higher”
, he noted during his address to the Human Rights Council regarding the situation in Ukraine.
High Civilian Casualties
Turk emphasized that the majority of civilian casualties are Ukrainians who have been killed or injured as a result of actions by Russian forces. The UN indicates that three years after the start of the full-scale war, Russia continues to use explosive weapons in densely populated areas, leading to unacceptably high casualties among the civilian population. Indeed, Russian long-range missiles, drones, and glide bombs have accounted for 40% of the casualties this year.
Possible Ceasefire
Amid efforts for a possible ceasefire, Turk noted that a limited truce ensuring the protection of shipping routes and infrastructure is an important step forward, but most importantly –
“to end the horrific suffering inflicted on Ukraine every day”
. The last few weeks have been marked by active negotiations in Riyadh, where the terms of a possible reconciliation between the parties were discussed.
The Ukrainian side expressed readiness for a 30-day ceasefire, while Russia put forward its own conditions. The Kremlin, in its statement regarding the negotiations, noted that the agreement to ensure the safety of navigation in the Black Sea would only come into effect after a series of sanctions against Russia were lifted, which has not been confirmed by Washington.
Additionally, the Russian Ministry of Defense has recently reported alleged Ukrainian strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure, which the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine categorically denies.