Hours after the US administration’s decision to give the go-ahead for the use of US weapons against military targets inside Russian territory on the northeastern Ukraine-Russia border, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, said that the latest Russian attack in Kharkiv kills and injures civilians.

“Our humanitarian colleagues report that repeated strikes in the same area have also affected rescue efforts,” Ms Brown said.

Aid workers provided essential assistance, including emergency repair materials, food and refreshments for those affected, as well as psychological support. Local authorities reported that more than 11,000 people were evacuated from the Kharkiv region due to heavy fighting near the border with the Russian Federation.

Ms. Brown stressed that the escalation of hostilities in Kharkiv and elsewhere in the country continues to devastate the lives of families, making humanitarian aid efforts even more critical and difficult.

According to figures verified by the UN Human Rights Office, more than 600 children have been killed across Ukraine since the start of the war in February 2022, while more than 1,400 have been injured.

“However, the actual toll is likely to be much higher,” said diplomatic sources at the UN. “In frontline communities, children have spent about four to seven months in bomb shelters over the past two years,” the same sources point out.

“With more than 200 schools damaged or destroyed by 2024, as well as the displacement of children, education in the country is under threat. Access to health and vaccination has also been severely affected,” Ms Brown added.