On May 12, Yurii Klymenko, Permanent Representative of Ukraine in Geneva, participated in the webinar dedicated to the fifth anniversary of adoption of the UNSC Resolution 2286 addressing the protection of health care institutions and personnel in armed conflict, jointly organised by Norway and the WHO. Ukraine has been one of the co-sponsors of the event.

In his statement the Permanent Representative of Ukraine emphasised:

• the dangerous trend of growing number of attacks against medical staff and institutions in recent years, including in Ukraine;
• disregard by Russia as the aggressor country of international humanitarian norms relating to protection of medical personnel; 
• regular shelling by the Russian occupation forces of the Ukrainian Government’s controlled territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, causing death and injuries of civilians, including health care professionals.

In the context of further implementation of the Resolution 2286, the Ukrainian side highlighted the importance of: 

• improving the procedures for documenting cases of violence against medical personnel and hospitals in armed conflicts;
• conducting independent and effective investigations of existing facts;
• ensuring accountability for those who violate the international humanitarian law.