Kyiv, 27 May 2024 — Last weekend witnessed a number of relentless attacks on Kharkiv city, resulting in dozens of civilian injuries. At least 69 people were hurt, including an IRC staff member who suffered cuts from shattered glass in his apartment. According to data released on Friday by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), another 35 civilians have been killed and 137 injured in Kharkiv Oblast since the escalation of hostilities on 10 May.
Viktoriya Makarenko, IRC Field Manager in Kharkiv, said:
“Over the past two weeks, the people of Kharkiv endured immense stress. Every day brings new fear and sorrow as we experience significant loss of life and devastation witnessed in just two weeks. Our hearts go out to the families of those affected, including one of our colleagues who suffered injuries during last weekend’s attacks.
“The IRC strongly condemns the attacks on Kharkiv. Acts of violence against civilians and civilian infrastructure we have witnessed over the past two weeks represent a serious violation of international humanitarian law.”
About the IRC Ukraine Response:
When the war in Ukraine escalated, the IRC launched an emergency response to address the needs of conflict-affected people in Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Bulgaria. Working with partners, we are striving to ensure that people are safe from abuse and exploitation, that children can continue to safely learn, and that displaced people have access to relevant information that enables them to make informed decisions about their next steps. We also run gender-based violence prevention and response activities, and provide mental health and psychological support and inclusion activities focused on boosting employability and economic empowerment. IRC programmes targeting Ukrainian refugees are also active in Greece, Italy, Germany, UK and US.