Civilians ‘continue to pay highest price’ in Ukraine - Security Council Briefing

Remarks by Ms. Ursula Mueller, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, on the situation in Ukraine during the 8461st meeting of the Security Council.
Ursula Mueller, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, said, “Civilians continue to pay the highest price. More than 3,300 civilians have been killed, and up to 9,000 injured since the conflict began in 2014. 1.5 million people have been internally displaced.”
She stressed that the humanitarian consequences were “severe,” adding that in 2019, 3.5 million people will need humanitarian assistance and protection services many of whom are elderly, women and children. Mueller noted that for most of them, the impact of the conflict had deepened.
Mueller called on the Government of Ukraine to adopt a national mine-action framework. She also said, “In 2018, landmine and explosive hazard explosions caused some 43 per cent of all civilian casualties. I implore all parties to immediately cease using landmine.”
According to the UN’s humanitarian expert, this year (USD) 162 million will be required to provide aid to 2.3 million people, through the 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan. The Plan focuses on protection of affected people, and on restoring their access to livelihoods, essential services and critical structures.