Russian forces struck a United Nations aid convoy in the partially occupied Kherson region of southern Ukraine on Tuesday, Ukrainian and UN officials said, though no one was reported injured or killed in the incident.
The United Nations said the convoy, consisting of four marked vehicles, came under attack from Russian drones and artillery while delivering humanitarian aid to the frontline town of Bilozerka.
"Such attacks are utterly unacceptable. Aid workers are protected by international humanitarian law and should never be attacked," said Matthias Schmale, the UN's humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.
Two trucks operated by the World Food Program were damaged in the strike, while two others were unharmed, he said. The UN Population Fund said the convoy was carrying 800 packages containing essential items for elderly people, women and girls.
"The area has a very high proportion of older people, many of whom are unable to relocate due to drones and shelling and rely on humanitarian assistance for survival," said Jacqueline Mahon, UNFPA's representative in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga condemned the attack as "another brutal violation of international law," saying it showed Russia's "utter disregard for civilian lives and its international obligations."
There was no immediate comment from Moscow.
The Kherson region, which Russia claimed to have annexed in 2022, remains divided between Russian and Ukrainian control. Russian forces continue to launch near-daily attacks on Ukrainian-held towns from positions on the southern bank of the Dnipro River.
Regional authorities said Tuesday that three people were killed by Russian artillery fire in the city of Kherson and another civilian died in a drone strike on a car in the nearby town of Nikopol.
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