The UN responded to Russia's attack on humanitarian vehicles in the Kherson region
The Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), Cindy McCain, called today's attack by the Russian army on a convoy of humanitarian trucks in the Kherson region “totally unacceptable”.
This is according to a post on her X channel, seen by Ukrinform.
"This is totally unacceptable. A targeted drone strike hit two WFP trucks in Ukraine. No one was hurt, but the trucks—and the life-saving aid they were delivering—went up in flames. Humanitarian workers, vehicles and cargo are not target. Anytime, anywhere,”, Ms. McCain emphasized.
The Kherson Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that a convoy of four humanitarian trucks, clearly marked as belonging to the UN, carrying aid, came under attack by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation when delivering aid to communities in the Kherson region.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha called on UN member states to condemn Russia's attack on an international organization's humanitarian convoy in Ukraine’s Kherson region.
"This morning, an inter-agency convoy of four trucks of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs / OCHA Ukraine, UNICEF Ukraine and the World Food Program set off for the Bilozerka community. Our organization was immediately involved in compiling aid packages for this mission," reports the Southern Development Strategy NGO.
As reported, when the aid workers were on site, intensive artillery fire started, and later, during offloading, two clearly marked trucks of the World Food Program were targeted by first-person-view drones. Fortunately, the humanitarian workers were not injured, but two trucks were damaged and set on fire.
A truck carrying humanitarian aid from Southern Development Strategy NGO - 12 pallets with 350 hygiene kits intended for families from frontline settlements -- burned down to ashes with all their contents.
“We condemn the attacks by the Russian armed forces on humanitarian workers and civilians, who are protected by international humanitarian law and cannot be the target of attacks under any circumstances. Every vehicle in the humanitarian convoy was clearly marked belonging to the UN,” the NGO emphasized.
The Southern Development Strategy NGO said it would continue to work for inter-agency humanitarian missions, despite all the risks involved. SDS has partaken in 11 inter-agency convoys so far, having delivered hygiene kits to around 4,000 households and drinking water supplies to 366 families residing in front-line communities.
As Ukrinform reported, on the morning of October 14, Russian military targeted a convoy of four humanitarian trucks delivering aid to Bilozerka community of Kherson region with drones and artillery. Humanitarian works were not injured, but the vehicles and cargo were consumed by fire.
Photo: Cindy McCain / X / Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine / Southern Development Strategy