Nearly 1,000 children killed or wounded in Ukraine: UNICEF

GBNEWS24DESK//

At least 972 children in Ukraine have been killed or wounded since the beginning of Russia’s offensive, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

“The use of explosive weapons has caused most of the child casualties. These weapons do not discriminate between civilian and combatant, especially when used in populated areas as has been the case in Ukraine,” Catherine Russell, UNICEF’s executive director, said in a statement, Al Jazeera reports.

She added the figure provided only accounted for the cases the UN had been able to verify and warned the true number of casualties was expected to be much higher.

“Once again, as in all wars, the reckless decisions of adults are putting children at extreme risk. There are no armed operations of this kind that do not result in children being harmed,” Russell said.

“Meanwhile, beyond the horror of children being killed or physically hurt in attacks, almost every child in Ukraine has been exposed to deeply distressing events, and those fleeing violence are at significant risk of family separation, violence, abuse, sexual exploitation, and trafficking.”