Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov has released new estimates of casualties and damage from the Russian war, saying Russian military actions have killed 38 children and wounded more than 70.
Overall at least 400 civilian deaths have been recorded and 800 wounded, though “these data are definitely incomplete,” he said in a video address.
It was not immediately possible to verify the figures, though the U.N. human rights office said Monday that it has been able to confirm the deaths of 406 civilians since the start of the war late last month. The U.N. added that it has confirmed more than 800 civilian injuries. Reznikov said Russian strikes have destroyed more than 200 Ukrainian schools, 34 hospitals and 1,500 residential buildings.
He estimated some 10,000 foreign students, notably from India, China and the Persian Gulf are trapped by the fighting and described attacks on British and Swiss journalists.“Russian invaders fire on humanitarian corridors through which civilians are trying to escape,” he said, without saying where. Russian officials did not comment Tuesday and have only acknowledged several hundred deaths among Russian forces.