The Excessive Commissioner for Refugees says Russia’s newest escalation might ‘provoke extra displacements’.
The United Nations refugee chief has warned that extra individuals will probably be pressured to flee their houses in Ukraine after Russia performed air assaults on a number of cities throughout Ukraine together with the capital Kyiv.
He spoke on Monday in Geneva on the sidelines of the Nansen Refugee Award ceremony, which this yr went to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“The horror of what occurred in Ukraine at present … is inexcusable,” UN Excessive Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi advised journalists.
Russia’s wave of cruise missile assaults adopted an explosion on the strategically-important Kerch bridge that hyperlinks it with Crimea, the Ukrainian territory it annexed in 2014.
“The bombing of civilians, of homes … of non-military infrastructure in an indiscriminate method in lots of cities throughout Ukraine, means the conflict is changing into tougher and harder for civilians,” Grandi mentioned.
“I worry that the occasions of those final hours will provoke extra displacements.”
Additionally on Monday, UN Secretary-Normal Antonio Guterres mentioned he was “deeply shocked” by the raids, based on a spokesman.
“This constitutes one other unacceptable escalation of the conflict and, as all the time, civilians are paying the best value,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric mentioned in an announcement.
Ukrainian authorities mentioned Russia fired 84 missiles at 10 cities, 56 of which had been neutralised by air defences.
Not less than 19 individuals had been killed within the assaults, which additionally wounded dozens, based on Ukraine’s emergency providers.
Inside displacement
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, greater than 7.6 million Ukrainian refugees have been recorded throughout Europe.
Whereas quite a lot of these individuals have since returned, greater than 4.2 million Ukrainians have registered for short-term safety standing in EU international locations.
One other practically seven million individuals have additionally been displaced throughout the conflict-torn nation, based on the UN’s Worldwide Group for Migration.
“My prognosis … is that we'll primarily see inner displacements,” he Grandi mentioned.
“You may have individuals who flee for only some hours, to flee the bombs… after which attempt to return dwelling,” he mentioned.
However in conditions the place destruction is bigger, and folks can not entry warmth or meals, “I worry the displacements will last more”, he mentioned.
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