New York: More than half of Ukraine’s children have been displaced from their homes since Russia invaded the eastern European country exactly a month ago, the United Nations said on Thursday.
“One month of war in Ukraine has led to the displacement of 4.3 million children — more than half of the country’s estimated 7.5 million child population,” UN children’s agency Unicef stated.
According to Unicef chief Catherine Russell, this is one of the fastest large-scale displacements of children since World War II.
“This is a grim milestone that could have lasting consequences for generations to come,” she warned.
The number of displaced children is nearly half of 10 million-plus people who have been forced to flee their homes since President Vladimir Putin ordered military action against Ukraine.
Of the 4.3 million displaced children, 1.8 million have fled Ukraine as refugees, while 2.5 million are within the war-ravaged country, the UN informed.
The UN human rights office has confirmed that 81 children have been killed in the war so far and 108 injured. However, the actual toll is likely to be far higher, they acknowledged.
Unicef said the World Health Organization has verified 64 attacks on healthcare facilities, including hospitals, clinics and ambulances.
It estimated 1.4 million people currently lacking access to safe water, while 4.6 million people have limited access to water or are at risk of being cut off.
