UN children’s agency urges Russia and Ukraine to protect civilians after drone deaths on both sides

Russia and Ukraine reported deadly drone attacks on Tuesday that killed civilians in both countries, prompting the United Nations children’s agency to urge both sides to protect children and comply with international humanitarian law, UNICEF said.

UNICEF said five people were killed in Russia’s Belgorod region and five people were killed in Russia’s Krasnodar region in recent strikes, and it also pointed to deaths in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy regions. The agency did not attribute responsibility in the account described by PBS NewsHour.

In a statement carried by PBS NewsHour, UNICEF urged both Russia and Ukraine to uphold the rules of armed conflict, including the requirement to protect children. The agency framed the deaths as an urgent example of the need for strict compliance with humanitarian protections for civilians, particularly minors.

UNICEF’s appeal comes as the conflict has increasingly involved long-range weapons and attacks that can reach civilian areas, raising the risk of harm to children in places where families live and attend schools. The agency cited the specific regions where deaths were reported on each side.

The UNICEF statement also emphasized that humanitarian law is not optional during hostilities, and that obligations to safeguard children apply to all parties. In the report, UNICEF urged governments to take practical steps to prevent civilian harm rather than allowing civilian casualties to continue as the war proceeds.

The deaths in multiple regions on both sides underscore the scope of the fighting’s human impact and the challenge of enforcing protection norms across front lines, according to the PBS account of UNICEF’s comments. UNICEF’s call also reflects broader international pressure to document civilian harm and press for accountability to reduce risks to children.

UNICEF did not provide further operational details in the PBS summary about the types of drones used or the specific circumstances of each strike. The next steps after such appeals typically include continued monitoring, reporting of civilian casualties, and renewed diplomatic pressure to ensure compliance with humanitarian obligations.