As civilian casualties in Ukraine rise, the UN has reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing discussions with Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia to safeguard the freedom and safety of navigation in the Black Sea.
“While the worst impact of the war continues to be felt in the frontline communities of eastern and southern Ukraine, death and destruction is also a daily occurrence away from the areas of active fighting,” Miroslav Jenca, UN assistant secretary general for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, told a session of the UN Security Council.
Jenca highlighted the war’s growing toll on Ukraine’s civilian population, saying: “In September, at least 208 Ukrainian civilians were killed and 1,220 injured, making it the month with the highest number of civilian casualties this year in Ukraine.”
Jenca quoted the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, which stated that almost 12,000 people, including 622 children, had been killed and over 25,000 injured since Russia’s military offensive in February 2022.
He emphasized Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea, stating that “the UN therefore continues engagement with Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and Türkiye, as well as other stakeholders, in support of freedom and safety of navigation in the Black Sea.”
He also highlighted the torture suffered by prisoners of war in Ukraine and Russia, noting that 97 percent of Ukrainian inmates and 50 percent of Russian captives reported being tortured or mistreated while in captivity.
“We urge the authorities of the Russian Federation, as well as of Ukraine, to end this practice and hold perpetrators accountable,” he said.
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