HIGHLIGHTS
Conflict-related civilian deaths and injuries increase in eastern Ukraine from February–May
Shelling and light weapons fire continue to damage and destroy civilian infrastructure
UNICEF assists GBV survivors and children affected by violence in Donetsk and Luhansk
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
Conflict-related deaths and injuries in eastern Ukraine increased between February 16 and May 15, according to the UN. Nearly 57 percent of the total casualties occurred in April due to conflict-related incidents involving landmines, light weapons, and unexploded ordnance, shelling.
Conflict continues to damage critical civilian infrastructure, including houses, medical facilities, and schools. Increased hostilities in May damaged nearly 190 civilian structures, including six educational and health care facilities, in 20 settlements on both sides of the contact line, according to the Protection Cluster—the coordinating body for humanitarian protection activities, comprising UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders.
Despite ongoing challenges for civilians on both sides of the contact line, the number of civilian checkpoint crossings increased during the first half of 2018, according to the UN.
In May, the UN recorded more than 1.14 million crossings, an approximately 14 percent increase compared to the same period in 2017.Ukraine’s sole chlorine producer recently ceased production, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) actors are concerned a lack of chlorine will negatively impact access to safe drinking water for populations in eastern Ukraine.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) allocated $6 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to scale up humanitarian operations in Ukraine in June.