Russia-Ukraine war: Nearly 167 Ukrainian children killed by Moscow's troops, claims Kyiv

As the Russia-Ukraine war continues to escalate, with Moscow relentlessly shelling Ukrainian cities, nearly 167 children have lost their lives in the war-torn nation since Russia commenced its offensive on February 24,  the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine claimed in a Telegram message, Ukrinform reported. The office further revealed that over 446 Ukrainian children have been impacted by the Russian troops' actions. 

According to a statement from the Prosecutor General's Office, “As of the morning of April 6, 2022, more than 446 children were affected in Ukraine as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. At the same time, 167 children were killed and at least 279 were injured", Ukrinform reported. 

Furthermore, as per the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), roughly 1,325 civilians had been killed in Ukraine as of April 1. While 2,017 people have been wounded in Russia's attack on the Eastern European nation since it started. The exact estimates, according to OHCHR, are projected to be "considerably higher", CNBC reported. Officials have also struggled to obtain the total number of casualties in areas where heavy combat has occurred or where Russian forces have taken control. 

Over 11 million Ukrainians fled Ukraine since February 24

In addition to this, due to the ongoing conflict and instability, over 11 million Ukrainians have fled their homes in Ukraine, as per the United Nations migration agency, International Organization for Migration (IOM). Further, more than 7.1 million citizens have been displaced within Ukraine as of April 1, IOM announced on Tuesday, citing its first comprehensive assessment in three weeks, AP reported.  

The United Nations has even estimated that approximately 4 million Ukrainian refugees had escaped to neighbouring nations in search of safety. According to the International Organization for Migration, over 2.9 million individuals are actively considering "leaving their place of habitual residence" as a result of the turmoil. 

Meanwhile, in a statement, Ukrainian prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova said that Russian forces had perpetrated sexual abuse against Ukrainian women and men, children, and the elderly. She further said, as reported by The Guardian, that troops are burning victims to 'hide the crimes.' As per media reports, she went on to say, “Bucha was released from the occupiers, but the consequences of their atrocities will have to be recovered for a long time: civilians were killed in the streets, cars were shot, people were tortured in basements." 

(Image: AP)