UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine Matthias Schmale (second from right) at a transit center for displaced persons in Donetsk Oblast. Top News of the Day | Monday: Ukraine, Gaza, Russia, Myanmar UN
Top News of the Day in the UN and the World: Massive Shelling of Ukraine by Russian Armed Forces, Delivery of Polio Vaccines to Gaza, IAEA Chief’s Visit to Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, Floods in Myanmar.
Shelling of Ukraine
The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, spent several hours today in a shelter, hiding from the massive shelling of Ukrainian territory by the Russian Armed Forces. The strikes reportedly killed and injured civilians, and caused serious damage to civilian infrastructure. Even during military actions, the rules adopted by the international community must be observed, Schmale recalled, condemning the shelling of Ukraine.
Vaccinating children in Gaza
A batch of polio vaccines has been delivered to Gaza, UN humanitarian agencies report. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), together with the World Health Organization and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), is coordinating efforts to protect the population from this dangerous disease. According to a statement from UNRWA, humanitarian workers are ready to begin a campaign to vaccinate 640,000 children, but a humanitarian pause in hostilities is necessary for its successful implementation.
Situation at Kursk NPP
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi said that given the gravity of the situation, he will personally lead the IAEA mission to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) on Tuesday. He said it was vital that the agency’s representatives were able to carry out their responsibilities to ensure nuclear safety, and this required the direct presence of experts at the site.
Emergency aid in Myanmar
UN humanitarian workers said they had begun distributing aid to people affected by monsoon rains and floods in Myanmar’s Irrawaddy Delta. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland may have been flooded. People in the worst-hit areas need food, drinking water and sanitation. The WFP initially plans to provide assistance to about 35,000 people sheltering in evacuation centres.