UNICEF calls on Ukraine to honor international humanitarian law after attack on Gelendzhik

UNICEF and UN Respond to Deadly Attacks on Russian Regions

GENEVA, August 4. /TASS/. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has issued a statement urging all parties to the conflict in Ukraine to honor international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of children. The call follows a series of reported attacks in Russia's Belgorod Region and near the resort city of Gelendzhik that have resulted in child casualties.

UNICEF noted that over the past several days, "children have again been killed and injured in attacks in the Russian Federation." The organization reiterated its demand: "UNICEF again calls on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law - including the protection of children and civilian infrastructure. Attacks that kill and injure children must stop." This statement was issued in response to reports about Ukraine's attacks on a playground in the Belgorod Region and a beach near Gelendzhik.

UN Spokesperson: Opposition to Attacks Harming Civilians

In a separate development, UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq told TASS that the UN opposes any attacks that cause civilian casualties, especially among children. Commenting on the attacks of Ukrainian drones on a playground in the Belgorod Region and on the beach in Arkhipo-Osipovka near Gelendzhik, Haq said: "We are against all attacks that cause civilian casualties, especially those that kill or harm children."

Russian Officials Report Rising Child Death Toll

Russian authorities have provided updated casualty figures. According to Russian childerns' rights ombudswoman Maria Lvova-Belova, the death toll among minors from Ukraine's attack near Gelendzhik has risen to four. "An awful tragedy. Ukraine's aggression. By now, we have reports about four killed children, three more children are in hospitals. One child has been operated on, two others are being examined, they have shrapnel wounds," she told reporters.

Earlier reports indicated that the attack on Gelendzhik killed seven people, including three children, and left 58 people injured. However, the ombudswoman's latest statement suggests a higher child death toll.

Details of the Attacks

According to TASS reports, on August 2, a 13-year-old girl was killed and two more children were badly wounded in Ukraine's targeted strike on a playground in the village of Printsevka in Russia's borderline Belgorod Region. The same day, a separate incident was reported in the settlement of Printsevka, where a targeted Ukrainian strike on a children's playground killed a 13-year-old girl and wounded two children severely.

On August 3, Ukraine attacked the beach in the settlement of Arkhipo-Osipovka in Gelendzhik. According to the latest data at the time, seven people died, including four children, and 58 people were injured. The attacks have drawn condemnation from international bodies and Russian officials alike, highlighting the ongoing humanitarian concerns in the region.