Statement: Humanitarian aid workers killed, injured in southern Ukraine

Humanitarians are not, and must never be a target.

On Thursday, February 1, two humanitarian aid workers were killed and others injured when their vehicle was attacked in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine.

Humanity & Inclusion (HI) strongly condemns all attacks against humanitarian workers and sends its condolences to the family and colleagues affected by this tragic loss and hopes that those injured will recover.

This attack comes in a context of an endless series of indiscriminate attacks, urban bombardments and the massive use of explosive weapons in populated areas in recent weeks and months.  

Since Feb. 24, 2022, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has recorded 29,330 civilian casualties in the country: 10,191 killed and 19,139  injured. The actual figures are believed to be considerably higher, as confirmation in areas where there are, or have been, intense hostilities, such as Mariupol, Lysychanks, Popasna, and Sievierodonetskis are still pending corroboration. There is also considerable damage to education and medical facilities, with 437 medical facilities and 972 education facilities destroyed or damaged.

Civilians, including humanitarian workers, live under the constant threat of airstrikes, bombardments and the long-term consequences of attacks: destruction of health infrastructure, forced displacement and contamination by unexploded ordnance. Humanitarian workers have been risking their lives every day to deliver vital aid to civilians in Ukraine. They must never be targeted, under any circumstances.