A United Nations aid convoy came under attack in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region on Tuesday, an incident both Kyiv and the UN have condemned as a violation of international law. Despite the intensity of the strike, no casualties were reported.
According to the UN, the convoy — made up of four clearly marked humanitarian trucks — was delivering essential supplies to residents in the frontline town of Bilozerka when it was hit by Russian drones and artillery fire. “Such attacks are utterly unacceptable. Humanitarian workers are protected under international law and must never be targeted,” said Matthias Schmale, the UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine.
Two trucks belonging to the World Food Programme were damaged, while the remaining vehicles escaped harm. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) confirmed the convoy was carrying around 800 packages of essential supplies intended for elderly people, women, and girls — many of whom remain trapped in conflict zones and rely heavily on aid for survival.
“The region has a high concentration of older people who cannot evacuate due to ongoing shelling and drone attacks,” explained Jacqueline Mahon, UNFPA’s representative in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga denounced the strike as “another brutal violation of international law,” accusing Russia of showing complete disregard for civilian lives and humanitarian principles.
Oleksandr Prokudin, a senior official in Kherson, shared an image of one of the UN-marked trucks engulfed in flames, thick black smoke billowing into the sky. The photo quickly circulated online, symbolizing the growing dangers faced by aid workers in Ukraine’s war-torn regions.
The Kherson region remains one of the most volatile areas of the conflict. Although Russia claimed to have annexed it in 2022, Ukrainian forces continue to defend parts of the territory. Russian troops stationed on the southern banks of the Dnipro River frequently launch attacks on nearby Ukrainian towns.
On the same day as the convoy strike, Ukrainian officials reported two more civilian deaths from Russian drone attacks — one in Kherson and another in Nikopol, in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
The UN has reiterated its call for all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the safety of aid workers operating in conflict zones.
