UN: Twenty-seven civilians killed in Donbas in 2019
“In 2019, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded 167 civilian casualties: 27 killed and 140 injured,” Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacekeeping Affairs, told the UN Security Council on Tuesday.
According to her, 63% of the victims were affected by firearms and 35% by landmines and other unexploded ordnance.
DiCarlo emphasized that those figures indicated a 40% decrease in civilian casualties compared to 2018, constituting the lowest civilian casualty rate since the conflict had started.
"While we welcome this decrease, it should also be noted that a complete and comprehensive ceasefire - the best way to avoid civilian casualties - is still unattainable," the diplomat summed up.
She added that the armed conflict in Ukraine "severely restricts freedom of movement and adversely affects people's fundamental rights, including the right to housing, health, education and adequate living standards."
At 05:00 on February 18, the militants attacked positions of Ukraine’s Joint Forces units near Novotoshkivske, Orikhove, Krymske, and Khutir Vilnyi.
The militants’ assault force under cover of massive artillery fire also captured one of the forward Ukrainian positions in the so-called "grey zone". As a result, one Ukrainian soldier was killed and four more soldiers were wounded.
ol
