CARE demands protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure
Kyiv is facing its fifth consecutive day of relentless drone attacks by Russia, with strikes and air raid alerts continuing around the clock. These attacks are not only destroying buildings and infrastructure. They are disrupting the systems people depend on every day including access to food, while pushing an already exhausted civilian population further towards a breaking point.
“Constant air raid alerts are effectively paralyzing normal life. Metro services and trolleybuses connecting the right bank and left bank of the city are operating with major disruptions and long intervals between services during alerts, making it extremely difficult for people to move around the city. Long distance trains are departing Kyiv up to five hours late, and arriving at their destinations up to 10 hours late, due to the constant air attacks. Shopping centers are also unable to operate normally, while warehouses and other civilian facilities are increasingly coming under attack,” said Michael McGrath, CARE Ukraine Country Director.
The disruption is occurring at a scale that is putting significant pressure on Ukraine’s food supply system. According to local authorities, roughly 90% of the logistics infrastructure used by retail chains has been destroyed. Retailers are increasingly having to rely on direct deliveries from producers and other more complex and costly supply routes. Michael McGrath said, “We are now seeing empty shelves in some of the country’s largest supermarket chains, including a lack of basic food items such as fruit, vegetables, dairy products, and grains. People are exhausted from the lack of sleep and constant disruption to their daily lives.”
Under International Humanitarian Law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times, including humanitarian workers and facilities. Direct targeting of objects essential for civilians to survive, such as food supplies, is prohibited. The normalization of civilian harm is unacceptable. Those with influence must demand the parties to conflict to comply with their obligations, and they must seek accountability for violations of international law.
ENDS
For media enquiries contact Julia Dotras on 0494 396 407
About CARE Australia
CARE Australia supports women around the globe to save lives, defeat poverty and achieve social justice. We work in partnership with local communities to provide equal opportunities for women that they have long been denied: the ability to earn an income, gain access to their fair share of resources, to lead and participate in decisions that affect their lives, and to be able to withstand the increasing impacts of climate disasters and other crises. www.care.org.au
