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Today's top news: Ukraine, Syria

The impact of the airstrike in the  centre of Mykolaiv city in Ukraine today. Two NGOs – World Central Kitchen and ACTED – and the Ukrainian Red Cross are on the ground supporting people in need. 20 July 2023. Credit: OCHA/Volodymyr Tsololo
 

Ukraine

We are extremely worried about the apparent escalation of attacks directly impacting civilians and civilian infrastructure in the south of the country.

Today in Mykolaiv, not far from Odesa, an airstrike damaged homes and a nursery in the city centre.

Our colleagues from the UN Human Rights Office report that at least two civilians were killed and several others were injured in their sleep, including women and children.

In Mykolaiv, our humanitarian partners immediately mobilized emergency assistance, including cash, for families whose homes were damaged. We are working with the local authorities to determine additional needs.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, our humanitarian colleagues continue to support civilians affected by the war, particularly people near the front line. In the past week alone, we dispatched two inter-agency convoys to front-line communities in the Donetsk region.

We also continue to help people impacted by the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, particularly in the Dnipro region, where more than 200,000 people in more than 60 towns and villages are having difficulty accessing clean water.

Syria

Earlier today, 17 trucks carrying humanitarian assistance from UNICEF and the World Health Organization crossed into north-west Syria from Türkiye through the Bab al-Salam crossing. The trucks were carrying essential medicines and other health and nutrition supplies.

In the coming days, additional truck movements and UN staff missions are planned through the Bab al-Salam and al-Ra’ee crossings.