Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine has led to the deaths of at least 2,500 civilians and injuries from 7,000 to 9,000 people, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said with reference to the UN figures.
“This day [World Humanitarian Day] takes on special significance for Ukraine due to the humanitarian consequences of the ongoing Russian aggression. According to the United Nations, at least 2,500 civilians have been killed during three years of war in Donbas; the total number of injured is estimated at 7,000 – 9,000. The war continues to inflict injuries and take human lives: in the first half of the 2017 there were recorded more than 400 civilian causalities – a 61 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2016,” Foreign Ministry’s statement reads on the occasion of the World Humanitarian Day which is celebrated on August 19 since 2008.
In addition, continuing violations of the ceasefire, mined areas pose a threat to the lives of almost 800,000 Ukrainians living close to the front line.
