Civilian death toll in Russia-Ukraine war climbs to 1,766: UN

By Peter Kenny

GENEVA (AA) - The civilian death toll in Russia-Ukraine war has climbed to 1,766 people with 2,383 others injured, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Saturday.

In its daily update, the OHCHR said most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes.

The actual figures, it added, are considerably higher, as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed.

Meanwhile, those fleeing the war to other countries exceeded 4.44 million, according to the UN refugee agency. Poland has taken in the most refugees – more than 2.56 million – while others have gone to Romania, Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia, Belarus, as well as Russia.

Concluding a week-long visit to Romania and Moldova, UNHCR official Raouf Mazou expressed his appreciation for the "remarkable solidarity displayed in both countries towards people fleeing Ukraine."

“In the past days, I have witnessed first-hand the generosity that has thus far characterized the response to the arrival of refugees from Ukraine,” Mazou said at the conclusion of his visit. “We must all express our deep appreciation to the governments and the people of both Romania and the Republic of Moldova for opening their hearts and their homes to those in need, in these very difficult times.”