The ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has resulted in repeated attacks on civilian and humanitarian targets, including warehouses storing emergency health supplies.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a UN warehouse in the eastern city of Dnipro was struck three times last week—first on Monday and twice on Friday. The facility, which held supplies valued at approximately $500,000 intended for frontline health services, was largely destroyed. WHO teams managed to relocate 130 of roughly 300 pallets before the final strike. An agency staff member and several drivers had left the site on 7 August prior to the second attack.

Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, stated, “This warehouse held supplies that were intended to keep lifesaving services available on the frontline. Its destruction means less medicine, less equipment and less capacity to treat the sick and wounded.”

Since the invasion began on 24 February 2022, WHO data reports 3,149 attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine, resulting in 240 deaths. The WHO tracker also notes over 70 attacks on warehouses to date.

Additionally, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted that the NGO Save The Children reported a guided aerial bomb damaged its office in Sumy, marking the second attack on the organization’s facilities in Ukraine within a week.

These attacks underscore the intensifying war on civilian and humanitarian targets amid the conflict.

Sources