At least 1,417 civilians, among them 121 children, killed in Ukraine, says UN

UN warns that death count could be higher because information has been delayed from several locations due to ongoing hostilities.

A man walks his dog past burnt out vehicles and debris following a missile attack on the Retroville shopping mall in Kyiv on March 21, 2022 | Representational image| Photographer: Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images via Bloomberg

New Delhi: At least 1,417 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since the Russian invasion started on 24 February, the United Nations said Monday.

Of the deceased, at least 121 were children. Another 2,038 have been injured.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a statement: “Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes.”

The OHCHR believed that civilian deaths could be much higher. It said: “Especially in government-controlled territory and especially in recent days, as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed and many reports are still pending corroboration.”

Horrific photos emerged from the town of Bucha Saturday of dead civilians strewn on the streets. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had earlier called this a genocide, said Sunday that Russian leaders should be held accountable for the military’s actions. He said such “war crimes” must end.