Executive Summary
It is nearly four weeks since the start of the conflict, with 2,421 civilian casualties (925 killed, 1,496 injured) reported by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). However, the actual figure is likely to be considerably higher (OHCHR 21/03/2022). Recent days have seen significant loss of civilian life, with several buildings used as shelters being hit by bombs or shelling, the most serious being two incidents in the encircled city of Mariupol. This brief examines the situation in three cities currently under bombardment by Russian forces, including efforts to evacuate civilian populations and the humanitarian needs on the ground.
Key Takeaways
- The bombardment of cities and large towns continues. Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems and missile and airstrikes.
- Of the cities analysed in this brief, the situation in Mariupol is the most serious. Extensive damage has occurred in civilian areas as highlighted recently by media analysis and drone footage (New York Times 20/03/2022, The Guardian 19/03/2022). Therefore, there are many civilian casualties and consequently a need for urgent medical support, including trauma care.
- Across Ukraine, there are critical humanitarian needs for those living in urban areas where bombardments are taking place. This is partly due to widespread damage to civilian infrastructure affecting essential services such as electricity, heating and clean water, and critically, the disruption of access to food and health care.
- Without the establishment of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians from conflict zones, the situation for many will continue to deteriorate. Particularly worrying is whether the catastrophic conditions currently occurring in Mariupol will be repeated in other cities.
