Record number of civilians casualties from explosions was recorded in 2023
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
Last year saw a record number of civilian casualties due to explosions in the past decade, according to BBC News.
A charitable initiative based in the United Kingdom, focused on combating armed violence (AOAV), recorded a 122% increase in the number of casualties among the civilian population caused by explosions in 2023.
The surge is largely attributed to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as well as in Sudan, Myanmar, and Somalia.
At least 15,305 civilians lost their lives as a result of attacks, marking a 122% increase compared to 2022. Additionally, tens of thousands sustained injuries.
AOAV also reports a 226% rise in the use of air-based weapons worldwide in 2023, with incidents escalating from 519 in 2022 to 1,694 last year.
The charitable organization also documented a significant increase in the use of ground-based weapons in 2023.
War in Ukraine
Russian occupiers sporadically launch massive missile attacks on Ukrainian towns.
The latest Russian attack occurred on the morning of January 8. Explosions were heard in Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih, and Khmelnytskyi.
For more details on the Russian rocket attack on January 8, please refer to RBC-Ukraine's coverage.
On the night of January 6, Russians shelled Pokrovsk twice, resulting in injuries.
