On September 9, 2022, according to UN data, it became known that Russian invaders are hiding in Ukraine behind a “human shield” of people with disabilities.
Source: Jonas Ruskus, Vice Chair of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the UN
The UN stated in a special report that it was “very worried” about the situation of people with disabilities living in Russia’s occupied territories since February 24, 2022.
The UN declared that people with disabilities living in residential facilities are at “a grave risk” and asked Russia and Ukraine to immediately evacuate them.
“Their access to basic rights such as food and a decent standard of living, including access to heating in the coming winter months, is at risk.”
Jonas Ruskus stated that the UN committee has information indicating that at least 12 persons with disabilities died in a residential facility on Russian-occupied territory.
There is no exact information about how many persons with disabilities remained in the occupied territories, but before the war, about 2.7 million such people lived in Ukraine.
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