Glider bombs are one of the main reasons why the number of dead and wounded increased by 30% in 2024 compared to 2023.
The attack in Zaporozhye on January 8 caused the largest number of civilian casualties in the past two years. It emphasizes the serious threat to civilians from the use of aerial bombs in densely populated areas. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reported this on Thursday, January 9.
The fall of two aerial bombs in Zaporozhye led to the death of 13 people. The number of victims is 122 people.
“The number of dead and injured is the highest recorded by the HRMMU since the attack on a residential building in Dnipro on January 14, 2023, and it is the deadliest since the attack on a supermarket in Konstantinovka in the region of Donetsk on August 9, 2024 ,” the report said.
HRMMU specialists who visited the shelling site on January 8 documented the destruction of the industrial facility, damage to buildings, vehicles and roads outside the business. The attack happened in the afternoon when the workers were returning home after their shift. Victims include business employees and passers-by on the street or in public transport.
“Glider bombs have become one of the biggest threats to civilians in cities along the front line. They are also one of the main reasons why the number of dead and wounded has increased by 30% in 2024 compared to 2023,” said the head of the HRMMU Daniel Belle.
According to data published in the HRMMU monthly report, at least 2,064 civilians were killed and 9,089 were injured in 2024. In comparison, in 2023 there were 1,971 deaths and 6,626 injuries. The increase in casualties is associated with the active use of glider bombs by the Russian military.
Modifications to these bombs allowed them to glide, hitting targets far from the front line. In 2024, such attacks reached cities such as Kharkov, Sumy and Zaporozhye.
Since September, such aerial bombs have killed at least 35 people and injured 308 in Zaporozhye, accounting for 78% of all victims in the city.
Other major attacks include those on December 6, which killed ten people and injured 27, including three children, and November 7, which killed nine people and injured 42.
HRMMU recalled that international humanitarian law obliges parties to the conflict to take all possible measures to minimize harm to civilians.
“It is clear that the use of such a weapon in a city during the day would result in significant civilian casualties. It is difficult to see how this attack could comply with obligations to minimize harm to civilians,” added Belle.
We remind you that on January 8, the Russian army launched two strikes with FAB-500 guided bombs in Zaporozhye. 13 people died and 33 others were injured. Five people were rescued by the police.
Multi-storey buildings, industrial facilities and other city infrastructure were destroyed. Debris hit a tram and a minibus with passengers. Parked vehicles were damaged.
President Vladimir Zelensky said that the Russians completely targeted Zaporozhye with air bombs.
Source: korrespondent
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