UNHCR appalled by attacks on aid operations and rising civilian toll in Ukraine

KYIV - Intensifying Russian attacks across Ukraine are killing and injuring increasing numbers of civilians, forcing people to flee their homes and disrupting humanitarian operations in the country, as the fifth year of the full-scale war grinds on.

On May 20, a warehouse in Dnipro, eastern Ukraine, leased by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, was directly hit by a missile in a Russian airstrike on the city. The attack killed at least two people, injured others and caused significant damage, destroying some 900 pallets of basic aid items and shelter materials - valued at over $1 million - ready for distribution to displaced and war-affected people in frontline regions. UNHCR extends its deepest condolences to the loved ones of those affected by this attack, and indeed by all strikes against civilians.

This was the first such attack on a UNHCR facility since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. It has not only deprived people of critical assistance but also undermines the humanitarian response at a time when needs have never been greater.

The warehouse strike came amid a broader escalation of attacks across the country. This week alone, deadly airstrikes also hit Sumy and Chernihiv regions in northern Ukraine. Last weekend, another large-scale attack on Dnipro and on Odesa reportedly killed and injured dozens of civilians. Less than a week ago, a combined drone and missile attack on Kyiv caused a residential building to collapse, claiming at least 25 lives.

According to the Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), at least 815 civilians were killed and 4,174 injured during the first four months of the year - 21 per cent higher than during the same period last year.

At the same time, forced displacement and evacuations from frontline regions continue at pace. Since the start of 2026, nearly 47,000 evacuees have passed through UNHCR-supported transit centres; however, the actual number of people displaced is believed to be higher, as many families flee without seeking support at the transit facilities. Evacuees arrive with few belongings and many are vulnerable, including elderly people and those with reduced mobility or disabilities.

UNHCR and our NGO partners continue to provide assistance to newly evacuated and war-affected families, including emergency shelter materials, cash assistance, and legal and psychosocial support.

UNHCR is also alarmed by the growing risks faced by humanitarian workers operating near the front line. Last week, two clearly marked UN convoys with humanitarian workers were hit by drones: one truck delivering aid in Dnipropetrovsk region, with the driver now recovering from his injuries; and a convoy on the way to Ostriv, one of the hardest hit areas in Kherson region, miraculously without injuries.

UNHCR pays tribute to the courage, dedication and perseverance of humanitarian workers and volunteers who continue delivering life-saving assistance despite immense risks and extremely difficult conditions. Their work remains indispensable for millions affected by the war. The repeated attacks against humanitarians on duty are a clear violation of international law. Civilians and humanitarians must never be targets.

For more information please contact:

• In Kyiv, Iryna Tymchyshyn, [email protected], +38 (050) 474 35 12
• In Geneva (regional), Kathryn Porteous, [email protected], +41 79 557 91 46
• In Geneva, Matthew Saltmarsh, [email protected], +41 79 967 99 36