The UN Human Rights Office reported on Tuesday, the 21st of November, that more than 10 000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since the Russian invasion, and the UN human rights mission in Ukraine says the actual figure is expected to be “significantly higher” as confirmation work is still ongoing, reports Reuters.
Danielle Bell, head of the UN observer mission in Ukraine, said 10 000 civilian deaths was a grim figure, stressing that
the human cost of the 21-month conflict was painful to grasp.
The UN has pointed out that the majority of civilian deaths have been caused by wide-area explosive weapons, adding that in the last three months, almost half of the deaths have occurred far from the front line and have been caused by the use of long-range missiles and the explosions of abandoned munitions by Russian forces.
The data also indicate that the number of victims is disproportionately elderly, especially those over 60, reflecting the difficulty or reluctance to move to safer areas.
For its part, Russia denies that it deliberately targets civilians.
Read also: EU’s Charles Michel in Kyiv as Ukraine marks start of Revolution of Dignity
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