Statement: Ukraine – a Sharp Increase in Bombing and Shelling on Civilian Infrastructure

November 20, 2024, marks 1,000 days since the escalation of the war between Russia and Ukraine. The whole of Ukraine is still under threat from air raids, with the east and south of the country particularly hard hit by bombing and shelling. The impact of this war on civilians is catastrophic on numerous levels. 

The surge in bomb attacks, particularly since last July, is causing an ever-growing number of casualties. September was the deadliest month of the year, with 208 people killed and 1,220 injured. In that same month, 45% of the victims were over the age of 60.

Thousands of people in Ukraine currently have no electricity, gas, or water and little access to food. Because of the constant bombardments, these people are effectively cut off from the world in areas that are difficult to access and close to the front line. With the onset of winter, there are fears of a sharp rise in humanitarian needs, particularly as numerous energy installations have been damaged or destroyed. In September alone, 30 bomb attacks on energy infrastructure were recorded.

Celia Faure, HI Advocacy and Policy Advisor for Ukraine, states,

“We are deeply concerned by the sharp increase in bombing and shelling on civilian infrastructure in recent weeks. Hospitals, schools, energy facilities, and homes have been largely hit, Russian forces using missiles, bombs, and armed drones in populated areas. In the most recent incidents, Odessa and Soumy were hit on Sunday and Monday, leaving a dozen killed and over 100 injured. Last Sunday, Russia carried out its largest aerial attack on Ukraine in months, hitting energy infrastructure in several major cities, from Odesa in the south and Dnipro in the east to Rivne in the west, depriving millions of civilians of electricity at the onset of the winter season. Ukrainian authorities stated that last October, Russia launched around 2,000 drones in Ukraine, approximately one-third more than the previous month. Eight hundred forty-three people have been killed since July 2024, making these last 4 months the deadliest in the year. According to the United Nations, more than 12,000 civilians have been killed in the conflict. We strongly condemn bombing and shelling of towns and cities in Ukraine, which is causing catastrophic harm to civilians.”

The war has made access to healthcare virtually impossible in areas to the east and south, near the front lines, and therefore difficult to reach. According to a WHO report published in August, almost 2,000 health facilities have been damaged or destroyed in the bombardments.  

This lack of access to healthcare also affects displaced people, who number at least 4 million, according to figures provided by the Ukrainian authorities.

Roman Shinkarenko, HI's Protection Specialist in Ukraine, explains,

“Older people and people with disabilities are the hardest hit, as many of them have had to leave their homes and move to other parts of Ukraine where the facilities are not adapted to their situation and where they have limited access to health services and support from caregivers.”