UN warns Ukraine war risks 'spiraling out of control with even higher human cost'

The UN warned Monday of an alarming escalation of fighting in Ukraine amid an absence of significant diplomatic progress, as the risk of the conflict spinning beyond control looms large.

"Since we last briefed this Council on developments in Ukraine, we have seen an alarming escalation of fighting, while there was no significant diplomatic progress," said Khaled Khiari, UN Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, at a Security Council meeting on Ukraine, adding that "Russian attacks continue to intensify, with mounting civilian casualties and devastation across Ukraine."

Pointing to Russia's announcement of a 32-hour Easter truce from April 11-12, Khiari said: "We welcome any initiative, even a limited one, that would bring a respite for the civilian population."

On the human toll, he said that "in total, since February 2022, OHCHR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights) has verified that at least 15,578 Ukrainian civilians, including 784 children, have been killed," with another 43,352, including 2,668 children, injured.

With the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster approaching on April 26, Khiari warned that it "serves as a warning of the scale of destruction we could witness in case of another incident, intended or unintended, while the war continues to endanger Ukraine's nuclear sites, especially the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest nuclear facility in Europe."

"It is imperative that all military activities near nuclear sites cease immediately," he said.

Urging coordinated global action, he cautioned: "We cannot afford the risk of the conflict spiraling out of control with even higher human cost and unpredictable consequences for us all."

Echoing those concerns, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya warned that "attacks have intensified, and civilians continue to bear the brunt," with the geographic spread of strikes widening and damage to key access routes limiting humanitarian reach.

Of the 10.8 million people requiring humanitarian assistance this year, she said nearly three-quarters of the $2.3 billion needed remained unfunded, with "almost $1.7 billion still to be funded."

Msuya's three urgent requests included respect for international humanitarian law, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access across all areas of Ukraine, and timely funding, cautioning that "delays reduce what can be delivered and prolong hardship for civilians."