UNICEF says June saw highest monthly child casualties in Ukraine since 2022

June saw the highest monthly child casualty figure in Ukraine since 2022, with seven children killed and 116 injured, UNICEF said on Monday, warning that children continue to bear the brunt of the war, now in its fifth year.

The UN children's agency also said it was "deeply saddened" by reports that two children were killed and at least 50 more injured in attacks across Ukraine over the past week.

"UNICEF is deeply concerned by the continued killing and injuring of children in Ukraine," the agency said in a statement, extending its deepest sympathies to the families of the victims.

UNICEF also reported that a warehouse it contracted in Bilohorodka, northern Ukraine, was severely damaged following Sunday's attacks by the Russian Armed Forces, destroying more than 106,000 humanitarian items worth an estimated $3.9 million.

The agency said the warehouse contained generators, drinking water, hygiene kits, and water storage tanks intended for children and families, particularly in frontline areas and ahead of winter.

It warned that attacks on humanitarian facilities are disrupting the delivery of life-saving aid.

"These attacks must end. Children and humanitarian facilities must be protected. Above all, children in Ukraine need a lasting peace," UNICEF said.