Guterres “strongly condemns” Russian attack in Kharkiv

“OAttacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international humanitarian law and must stop immediately,” added Stéphane Dujarric.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said he was “shocked and saddened” by this attack, in a message published by his services on the social network X (formerly Twitter).

“Our human rights monitors will visit the site to collect information. Accountability is essential”, he pointed out.

#Ukraine: @volker_turk shocked and saddened by today’s attack – one of the deadliest in 20 months – which struck the village of Hroza in Kharkiv region. Dozens dead, including a child. Our human rights monitors will visit the site to gather information. Accountability is key.

— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) October 5, 2023

At least 51 people, including a child, were killed today by a Russian attack that targeted a funeral ceremony in Hroza.

“I am shocked by reports of a Russian attack that, not long ago, destroyed the village of Hroza, in the Kharkiv region, killing dozens of civilians. The images arriving from the town where just over 300 people live are absolutely horrific,” said UN humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, Denise Brown, in a statement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today denounced an attack with Russian rockets against a shop in a village in eastern Ukraine, stating that it killed at least 49 civilians, a number that has since been updated to at least 51 dead, and that it was one of the attacks deadliest in recent months.

In the informative note, Denise Brown regretted, on behalf of the UN and the humanitarian community, that the Ukrainian people had to “witness today, once again, another barbaric consequence of the Russian invasion”.

The official noted that directing an attack against civilians or civilian objects constitutes a war crime, as does intentionally launching an attack with disproportionate potential.

Zelensky, who today traveled to Granada, Spain, to participate in a summit of the European Political Community (CPE), which brought together around 50 leaders from Europe, with the aim of gathering support for the country at war, classified the attack as a “a demonstrably brutal Russian crime” and “a completely deliberate act of terrorism.”

The Ukrainian President urged Western allies to help strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses, claiming that “Russian terror must be stopped.”

“Now we are talking with European leaders, in particular, about strengthening our air defense, strengthening our soldiers, protecting our country against terrorism. And we will respond to terrorists,” the Ukrainian leader added.

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