Ombudsman condemns "sluggish response" of UN, Council of Europe, OSCE to shelling of Dnipro
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights (photo: facebook com/dmytro lubinets)
Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets has criticized the "sluggish response" from international organizations to recent Russian shelling in Ukraine, particularly referring to the attack on Dnipro on April 19.
"I have sent appeals to the structures of the UN, Council of Europe, OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe), ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross), other international organizations, national human rights institutions, ombudsmen colleagues, and 50 human rights committees of world parliaments to publicly condemn such actions and provide Ukraine with assistance, including additional air defense systems. However, I have not seen a worthy reaction from the international community," he said.
According to Lubinets, after another missile strike, which Russia cynically inflicted on Dnipro and the region, the response from the world community was "quite tepid."
"Such behavior of international partners encourages Russia to continue killing the Ukrainian people. Chernihiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih, and other cities and towns of Ukraine are subjected to terrorist attacks day by day," he stated.
Lubinets expressed surprise at how Russia continues to participate in the UN Security Council voting and how this is reconciled with the organization's principles.
"We must not allow the killing of civilians to become commonplace without a dignified and decisive response! Impunity for barbaric actions will provoke the spread of Russian aggression not only against Ukraine but far beyond its borders. Ukrainian skies need additional means of protection," he emphasized.
Shelling of Dnipro and Chernihiv
Russian forces in recent days have launched mass strikes on Chernihiv and Dnipro. On April 17, occupiers inflicted three missile strikes with Iskanders near the center of Chernihiv. Almost immediately, reports emerged of fatalities and a large number of wounded. A medical facility and university building were damaged. Rescue operations were concluded only on April 18. As a result of the massive shelling, 18 people died, and 78 were injured.
Additionally, on April 19, Russian forces struck Dnipro and the region, targeting railway infrastructure, resulting in injuries to 7 Ukrainian Railways workers and the death of one dispatcher. Among the casualties were two children killed by occupiers on the same day in the Synelnykove district of the Dnipropetrovsk region. The rescue operation was concluded on April 20, with a total of 8 deaths and 34 injured.
