ReliefWeb

HIGHLIGHTS

• People in Ukraine faced another escalation of hostilities in the last week, with the number of missile strikes and the consequent impact on civilians increasing across the country.

• The missile strike that hit a shopping mall in the centre of Kremenchuk, in central Poltavska oblast, was an emblematic example of the impact of the war on the people of Ukraine

• In Sievierodonetsk, civilians taking cover at the Azot chemical plant in the city started to gradually leave the bunkers, according to the parties to the conflict.

• Although returns increased over the last month, some 6.27 million people are still internally displaced, and over 5.3 became refugees in European countries.

• Despite challenges, humanitarians reached about 10.3 million people with life-saving assistance since the war started, an increase of 1.5 million people since last week.

Situation Overview

General security and humanitarian situation

The war in Ukraine, which has now reached the four-month mark, shows no signs of abating and continues to drive increasing humanitarian needs across the country, especially in eastern Donetska and Luhanska oblasts. There are serious concerns for the thousands of civilians, both in Government-controlled and non-Government-controlled areas (GCA and NGCA), trapped or otherwise directly impacted by the hostilities. The number of verified civilian casualties since the start of the war surpassed 10,000 this week and is only growing.

The situation in the GCA of Luhanska oblast remains extremely alarming, including with thousands of civilians still sheltering in the administrative centre of Sievierodonetsk and hundreds more at the Azot chemical plant there. The situation is similar in the city of Lysychansk, where airstrikes, missile strikes, and shelling were reported throughout the week, along with civilian casualties. Similarly, reports were also received of intense and constant shelling leading to a large number of civilian casualties in both GCA and NGCA of Donetska oblast. Still in the east, daily reports on missile attacks and shelling in and around Kharkiv (Kharkivska oblast) continue. And in other parts of Ukraine, hostilities continue in the south, especially in Khersonska oblast, while air attacks and shelling were also reported neighbouring Mykolaivska and Odeska oblasts and in Sumska oblast in the north.