Ukraine war: UN releases civilian death stats, says number can be higher

The Office of United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Wednesday (December 28) that number of civilian casualties in the Ukraine war may be more than those that are known till date. The office has released a count of known casualties which indicates that 6884 civilians have lost their lives in the conflict from February 24 to December 26 this year.

Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24. After sustained gains in the initial months of the conflict, Russian forces have had to retreat from large swathes of land in the face of Ukrainian counteroffensive. Russia has since then stepped up missile attacks across Ukraine and especially on the country's energy infrastructure. There have been civilian deaths. Russia claims that it targets military-linked installations and not civilian.

Watch | Ukraine War: Heavy Russian shelling rains down on Kherson

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On Wednesday, Russia stepped up mortar and artillery attacks on the liberated city on Kherson. Russia fired 33 missiles from multiple rocket launchers at civilian targets in Kherson in the 24 hours to early Wednesday, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said in its morning report. Russia denies targeting civilians.

Heavy fighting also persisted around the Ukrainian-held city of Bakhmut, now largely in ruins, in the eastern province of Donetsk, and to its north, around the cities of Svatove and Kreminna in Luhansk province, where Ukrainian forces are trying to break Russian defensive lines.

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Air raid sirens also sounded across Ukraine on Wednesday morning, officials said. Ukrainian social media reports said the nationwide alert may have been declared after Russian jets stationed in neighbouring Belarus took off. Reuters was unable to immediately verify that information.

(With inputs from agencies)

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