12/15/2022 2:32 pm (act. 12/15/2022 2:40 pm)
Additional attacks can trigger more displacements, says Türk ©APA/KEYSTONE
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warns that the humanitarian situation in Ukraine could deteriorate significantly if Russian airstrikes against the country’s infrastructure continue. That could lead to further expulsions, Türk told the UN Human Rights Council after his trip to Ukraine. The Russian attacks have left millions of people in extreme distress.
“Additional attacks could lead to an even more serious deterioration in the humanitarian situation and trigger further displacement,” says Türk. He called for compliance with international martial law, which prohibits attacks on the civilian population and facilities.
Russian attacks on civilian targets lead to “extreme suffering” among the population, according to Türk. More than ten million people are struggling with power cuts, and several million are no longer regularly supplied with water and heat. The UN human rights chief highlighted the plight of Ukrainian children. About 1.5 million children are at risk for depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health problems, he said.
Türk also submitted to the Human Rights Council an investigation into civilians killed in the first six weeks of the aggressive war in the northern regions of Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy. Victims arrested by Russian soldiers were mostly found with their hands tied and with signs of torture or ill-treatment, he said. Others were shot dead in the street or at home. So far, the UN Human Rights Office has identified 341 men, 72 women, 20 boys and eight girls as victims in these regions during the study period. Nearly 200 murders are being verified, Türk said.