UN warns of worsening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine as winter nears

(MENAFN) According to general reports, a UN official on Tuesday cautioned the Security Council about the worsening humanitarian and security situation in Ukraine as the country approaches its fourth winter amid the ongoing war with Russia.

"As the holiday season approaches, Ukrainian civilians are preparing to end yet another difficult year at war – without a ceasefire and with uncertain prospects for lasting peace," said Kayoko Gotoh, the UN officer-in-charge for Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas. She noted that 2025 has become "one of the deadliest" years since the conflict began in February 2022.

Civilian casualties between January and November this year were 24% higher compared with the same period in 2024, Gotoh reported.

"In total, since the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has verified that 14,775 Ukrainian civilians, including 755 children, have been killed," she said. She added that 39,322 more, including 2,416 children, have been injured, emphasizing that these figures only reflect verified cases and that actual numbers are likely higher.

Gotoh highlighted that systematic attacks on energy infrastructure in the middle of winter could leave millions without heating, water, and public transport as temperatures drop. She also noted that civilian infrastructure has been damaged as a result of long-range Ukrainian strikes on military and energy sites in Russia. Reiterating UN positions, she emphasized that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international law.

Addressing recent Black Sea tensions, Gotoh warned against actions that could escalate or expand the war, stressing, "We continue to urge all concerned to de-escalate tensions and to prevent the risk of further expansion of the conflict." She also drew attention to the risks posed to nuclear facilities, citing ongoing power interruptions at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant despite IAEA efforts to restore lines.

"Any military actions endangering the safety and security of nuclear plants are unconscionable, irresponsible and must immediately cease," she said.

The UN remains “deeply concerned” about systematic human rights and international law violations in Russian-occupied areas, including the treatment of prisoners of war. Gotoh praised the resilience of the Ukrainian people, noting their determination to build a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous future despite nearly four years of conflict.

She expressed hope that ongoing US-led diplomatic initiatives could bring the war closer to a negotiated resolution and recalled UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s repeated calls for a "full, immediate, and unconditional" ceasefire. Any peace settlement, she stressed, must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders.

"The United Nations remains ready to support all meaningful efforts to this end," she concluded.

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