117 children killed in Ukraine since onset of war

“As of the morning of March 22, 2022, 117 children were killed and more than 155 were injured. Most children suffered in Kyiv region – 58, Kharkiv region – 40, Chernihiv region – 31, Donetsk region – 30, Mykolaiv region – 24, Kyiv city – 16, Zhytomyr region – 15, Kherson region – 15, and Sumy region – 14,” the Prosecutor General’s Office posted on Telegram.

The PGO noted that a Russian tank had shot down a car with a family of two children in Kharkiv region. The family shouted that they were civilians, waving a white flag, but all their efforts were in vain. Parents and a 9-year-old girl were killed, a 17-year-old boy was injured.

The burnt bodies of three people, including a 7-year-old child, were found under the rubble of destroyed houses as a result of the shelling of Kostiantynivka village of Mykolayiv region.

On March 21, 2022, the occupiers fired on buses evacuating children from Mariupol. Four children were taken to hospital. Three children came under fire in Polohy district of Zaporizhzhia region, another child – in the village of Kamenske. Two children are in serious condition.

In addition, bombings and shelling damaged 548 educational institutions, 72 of which were completely destroyed, mostly in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Mykolayiv, Sumy, Kyiv, Kherson, Chernihiv regions and in the city of Kyiv. More than 40 children's institutions, including healthcare facilities, art schools, sports facilities, and libraries, were also destroyed.

The PGO notes that these data are not final, given the lack of opportunity to inspect the areas where active hostilities are taking place and in the temporarily occupied territories.

On February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin started the invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops shell and destroy key infrastructure facilities, massively fire on residential areas of Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages using artillery, multiple-launch rocket systems, and ballistic missiles.

Photo credit: AA