Ukraine: Death Toll In Hroza Hits 52, UN To Investigate

The death toll from an air strike on the village of Hroza in North-Eastern Ukraine rose to 52 on Friday as rescue workers scoured the rubble for bodies after what Kyiv said was one of Moscow’s deadliest attacks on civilians since its invasion.

The latest victim died overnight in hospital, the Regional Governor said, following an attack in which a missile slammed into a cafe and grocery store on Thursday as people gathered to mourn a fallen Ukrainian soldier.

“Fifty-two people died as a result of this missile attack. One person died in a medical facility,” Oleh Synehubov, Governor of the Kharkiv Region, said.

“People are still there (in hospitals). The injuries are quite serious.”

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the missile strike, a U.N. Spokesperson said, noting that “attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international humanitarian law”.

On Friday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights deployed a field team to investigate the attack, an OHCHR Spokesperson said in Geneva.

REUTERS