The attacks occurred in the city’s Novobovarskyi district late on Thursday. At least three people were killed and a further 16 injured, according to media reports.
A four-year-old girl shelters at her kindergarten in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine.
Education and healthcare disrupted
The war has also severely affected education, and many schools have adopted online or underground classes. The UN Office in Ukraine expressed particular concern over the situation of children in frontline regions.
Currently, nearly a million boys and girls – a quarter of all Ukrainian children enrolled in school – have been unable to attend in-person learning, particularly those with disabilities and special educational needs.
Children’s health is another casualty of the war. Damage to health facilities, together with the displacement of personnel, mean that access to healthcare services is limited.
The statement noted that displaced families and those living close to the front line struggle to obtain necessary medical care, particularly for pregnant women and newborns, while vaccination campaigns have been disrupted, thus increasing the risk of outbreaks of some preventable diseases.
Commitment to deliver
The UN and partners in Ukraine are working to assist the country’s children, the statement concluded.
Last year, the UN provided vital primary healthcare to more than 5.1 million children and mothers, and education services to more than 2.5 million students and teachers.
Ms. Brown underlined the UN’s commitment to support the people of Ukraine but noted that “no amount of aid will bring back what a generation of children is losing because of Russia’s invasion.”