UNHCR news comment: Deadly attacks in Western Ukraine show no part of country is safe

GENEVA – Wednesday’s devastating aerial attack on Ternopil, Western Ukraine, demonstrates clearly that no part of the country should be considered safe.

The strike is reported to be one of the deadliest in Western Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war in 2022. Along with Ternopil, Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk were also hit as reports indicate the number of dead has reached at least 25, with over 100 wounded and the emergency response ongoing. The attacks also damaged energy facilities, transport and civil infrastructure.

Some countries have rejected claims for asylum or other forms of protection, as well as assistance, to Ukrainians on the grounds that parts of Ukraine are safe or that individuals could find safety in other parts of the country. These attacks remind us that no area is safe in Ukraine. UNHCR encourages all States hosting refugees from Ukraine to continue extending protection and assistance to those fleeing the war.

This year’s increased attacks by the Russian Federation have exacerbated the suffering of Ukrainians still inside the country. For the fourth winter, Ukrainians face insecurity and the compounded exhaustion of living in a warzone, as the country’s energy infrastructure is being continuously attacked, limiting people’s ability to access essential heat and power. It is imperative that civilians are protected from the attacks.

UNHCR and partners inside Ukraine will continue supporting the Government’s response to help civilians get through the challenging winter by providing cash assistance for firewood and warm clothes, repairing and insulating homes and collective sites hosting displaced people, as well as by providing generators and portable power stations to the most affected communities as part of UNHCR’s winter response.

• In Kyiv: Elisabeth Haslund, [email protected], +380 95 239 0072
• In Geneva: Eleni Biza, [email protected], +41 78 337 8082