UN Confirms More Than 6,300 Civilian Deaths Since Russia Attacked

As of Oct. 18, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights confirmed 15,956 civilian casualties, 6,322 killed and 9,634 injured, in Ukraine since February 24, 2022.

According to an Ukrinform correspondent, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo said this at the meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday, Oct. 21.

According to her, at least 397 children have been killed in the war since Feb. 24.

The actual figures are likely considerably higher, she added.

DiCarlo also informed members of the UN Security Council that in a recent and concerning development, the Russian Federation launched a series of attacks against cities and towns across the country.

She also outlined that between Oct.10 and 18, at least 38 Ukrainian civilians were reportedly killed and at least 117 injured by missile and drone attacks against cities and towns across Ukraine.

According to her, the destruction of critical energy infrastructure in Ukraine, combined with soaring gas and coal prices, threatens to expose millions of civilians to “extreme hardship and even life-endangering conditions” this winter.

“The document states that there are reasonable grounds to conclude that war crimes and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law have been committed in Ukraine,” she added.

DiCarlo also noted that as of  Oct. 19, the total tonnage of grain and other foodstuffs exported through the initiative had reached almost 8 million tonnes and called on extending the grain agreement, with expires on Nov. 22.

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Now is the Time to Intensify the Battle for Democracy

The good news from the US should be the stimulus for energizing joint efforts within the democratic world to stand up to Russia and the dangerous tyranny and chauvinism it represents.

“To maintain food security worldwide, it is critical that the initiative be extended beyond November,” she said.

She also reminded that the General Assembly stated that the referendums held in regions of Ukraine that are or have been under the temporary military control of the Russian Federation and the subsequent attempted illegal annexations of these regions have “no validity under international law and do not form the basis for any alteration of the status of these regions of Ukraine.”