<\/p>\n
Briefing the UN Security Council, Assistant Secretary-General Mohamed Khaled Khiari said the latest attacks underscore a worsening pattern in the four-year conflict sparked by Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion in 2022.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Khiari reported that at least 16 126 civilians, including 796 children, have been killed since the war began, with recent strikes hitting Kyiv and other regions. The attacks have damaged homes, critical infrastructure and cultural landmarks, including the historic Dormition Cathedral.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
UN humanitarian officials cautioned that intensifying hostilities are increasing risks for civilians while placing additional strain on aid operations.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Crisis Response Director Edem Wosornu said decisions taken now will directly impact survival on the ground. \u201cThe choices made here can mean the difference between lives saved or lives lost,\u201d Wosornu said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ukraine accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilians and internationally significant heritage sites, warning that patience for negotiations is wearing thin.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ukraine\u2019s Ambassador Andrii Melnyk told the Council that Kyiv has repeatedly called for a full ceasefire but may reconsider its position if progress stalls. \u201cYou will never hold the occupied lands,\u201d Melnyk said, adding that attacks on cultural sites represent an assault on global heritage.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Russia rejected the accusations, maintaining that it does not target civilian or religious infrastructure and blaming Ukraine and Western allies for prolonging the conflict.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
–UN\/ChannelAfrica–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":37778,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"news-type":[26],"class_list":["post-37777","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-general_news","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"The United Nations (UN) has raised alarm over a renewed surge in violence in Ukraine, warning that recent missile and drone strikes signal a dangerous escalation in the war.","published_date":"","news_description":"The United Nations (UN) has raised alarm over a renewed surge in violence in Ukraine, warning that recent missile and drone strikes signal a dangerous escalation in the war.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/37777","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/37777\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37779,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/37777\/revisions\/37779"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37778"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=37777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}