The attack of the Russian army in Zaporizhzhya on January 8, 2025 caused tragic consequences: 13 dead and 122 victims, including employees of industrial enterprise, passers -by and public transport passengers. This event has become the most fragile for civilian population since 2023.
The United Nations called an attack by a gross violation of international humanitarian law. The head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (MMPL), Daniel Belle emphasized that the use of glidacard airbombs in densely populated areas poses a serious threat to the lives of civilians. According to her, such attacks cannot be justified, especially if they are known to strike civilian infrastructure.
IMPL experts who visited the shelling place documented significant destruction: the industrial facility, multi -storey buildings, vehicles and road infrastructure were damaged. The attack occurred in the afternoon, when the streets were filled with employees returning home.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated that these strikes are a conscious act of aggression against the civilian population of Zaporozhye.
In 2024, glider aircraft were one of the main reasons for the increase in the number of dead and wounded among civilians. The UN reports that the total number of civilians killed in the past year was 2,064, and the wounded - 9 089. For comparison, in 2023, these figures were much lower - 1,971 killed and 6,626 victims.
The modification of such bombs allows them to overcome long distances and strike far beyond the front line. This makes cities like Zaporozhye, Kharkiv and Sumy, particularly vulnerable to such attacks.
The UN monitoring mission reminds that the parties to the armed conflict are obliged to take all possible measures to minimize the harm of peaceful population. However, the attack on Zaporozhye testifies to the neglect of these obligations. Daniel Belle stressed that the use of such weapons in cities in the afternoon is absolutely unacceptable.
