Türk Denounces Russian Attack Which Leaves Nine Children Dead In Ukraine

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk today expressed shock at an attack by Russian armed forces on the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih which reportedly killed 18 people, including nine children, most of whom were playing in a park.

A team from the UN Human Rights Office in Ukraine visited the impact site on Saturday, documented the damage, and established the names and identity of the killed children. It is the deadliest single strike harming children which the Office has verified since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

“It’s an unimaginable horror — nine children killed, most while playing in a park, as a military weapon exploded into shrapnel above them,” said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. “A single explosion ended 18 lives on a warm Friday evening in Kryvyi Rih, as families gathered near a playground, a restaurant and residential buildings.

“The use of an explosive weapon with wide area effects by the Russian Federation in a densely populated area —and without any apparent military presence — demonstrates a reckless disregard for civilian life.”

Just before 7 pm local time, a missile detonated over a residential area of Kryvyi Rih with a playground, restaurant and multi-storey buildings. Local authorities reported that 18 people were killed, including nine children, and 75 were wounded, including 12 children. Many of the casualties occurred in the playground. The UN Human Rights Office verified many of the casualties, including each of the children killed, and continues to collect information to verify the remaining cases.

UN Human Rights documented damage from hundreds of pieces of shrapnel to buildings, playground swings and slides, trees, and on the ground.

While Russian Federation authorities claimed a military group was targeted, local residents, a business association representative and staff of the restaurant told UN Human Rights that dozens of professional women and men in the beauty sector had been attending an industry forum hosted by the local business association in the restaurant, shortly before the attack. The event was publicized online well in advance. All witnesses conveyed that there had been no military presence at the restaurant or in the area at the time of the strike.

“International humanitarian law requires parties to a conflict to use means or methods of combat that in the prevailing circumstances are not likely to strike military and civilians without distinction,” said Türk. “It also requires the parties to take all feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians, including by verifying that the objects targeted are not civilian but military objectives, and choosing tactics and weapons that would avoid or at the very least minimize incidental loss of civilian life.”

Even if the Russian authorities had information that military personnel could be present, the mode and circumstances of attack may constitute an indiscriminate attack.

Indiscriminate attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law, and if they amount to attacks directed against civilians may constitute war crimes, Türk added.

The High Commissioner called for a prompt, thorough and independent investigation into the attack.

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