Jun 1, 2022 - World

More than 260 children killed in Ukraine since Russia invaded

Ivana Saric

Child in the Donbas — A child runs in front of a residential building destroyed by Russian artillery strikes in Bakhmut, a city in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, on May 24. Photo: Alex Chan Tsz Yuk/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

At least 262 children have been killed and another 415 injured in Ukraine since the start of Russia's invasion of the country in late February, UNICEF said Tuesday.

The big picture: Nearly two out of three children in Ukraine have been displaced as a result of the war, the agency said.

"On average more than two children are killed and more than four injured each day in Ukraine — mostly in attacks using explosive weapons in populated areas," per UNICEF.
Roughly three million children inside Ukraine, as well as 2.2 million children in refugee-hosting countries, are in need of humanitarian assistance.

What they're saying: "June 1st is International Day for the Protection of Children in Ukraine and across the region," UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell said in a statement.

"Instead of celebrating the occasion, we are solemnly approaching June 3 — the 100th day of a war that has shattered the lives of millions of children. Without an urgent ceasefire and negotiated peace, children will continue to suffer — and fallout from the war will impact vulnerable children around the world."

State of play: About 7 million children have had to "endure the horrors of war," Ukraine's Foreign Ministry tweeted on Wednesday.

Russian forces have attacked civilian infrastructure throughout the war, including hundreds of schools and health facilities.

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More than 260 children killed in Ukraine since Russia invaded

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