UN rights chief urges probe into Russian attack that killed nine children in Ukraine

Volker Türk issued a statement expressing shock at the attack, which occurred on Friday evening in a residential area.

A team from the UN Human Rights Office in Ukraine visited the impact site the following day, documented the damage, and established the names and identity of the children who were killed.

‘An unimaginable horror’

The incident is the deadliest single strike harming children which the Office has verified since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“It’s an unimaginable horror — nine children killed, most while playing in a park, as a military weapon exploded into shrapnel above them,” said Mr. Türk.

He added that “the use of an explosive weapon with wide area effects by the Russian Federation in a densely populated area —and without any apparent military presence — demonstrates a reckless disregard for civilian life.” 

Documenting the aftermath 

The attack took place just before 7 PM on Friday, local time. The missile detonated over a residential area with a playground, restaurant and multi-storey buildings.

Eighteen people were killed, including nine children, and 75 were wounded, including 12 children, according to local authorities. Many of the casualties occurred in the playground.

The UN Human Rights Office verified many of the casualties, including each of the children killed, and continues to collect information to verify the remaining cases. 

The team also documented damage from hundreds of pieces of shrapnel to buildings, playground swings and slides, trees, and on the ground.

The statement noted that while Russian authorities claimed a military group was targeted, local residents, a business association representative and staff of the restaurant told UN Human Rights that dozens of professional women and men in the beauty sector had been attending an industry forum hosted by the local business association in the restaurant, shortly before the attack.

The event was publicized online well in advance, and all witnesses conveyed that there had been no military presence at the restaurant or in the area at the time of the strike.

Uphold humanitarian law

“International humanitarian law requires parties to a conflict to use means or methods of combat that in the prevailing circumstances are not likely to strike military and civilians without distinction,” said Mr. Türk.

“It also requires the parties to take all feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians, including by verifying that the objects targeted are not civilian but military objectives, and choosing tactics and weapons that would avoid or at the very least minimize incidental loss of civilian life.” 

The statement noted that even if the Russian authorities had information that military personnel could be present, the mode and circumstances of attack may constitute an indiscriminate attack.

Indiscriminate attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law, and if they amount to attacks directed against civilians may constitute war crimes, Mr. Türk added.

The UN rights chief called for a prompt, thorough and independent investigation into the attack.