Humanitarian Coordinator Denise Brown visits Hroza on Christmas Eve [EN/UK]

The Top Humanitarian Official in Ukraine visited again the small rural village of Hroza in the Kharkiv region, ripped apart by a Russian strike in early October

The Humanitarian Coordinator and Head of the United Nations in Ukraine, Denise Brown, visited today Hroza, a village in the eastern Kharkiv Region which was nearly wiped out by a Russian strike on 5 October 2023.

During the visit, which coincides with Christmas Eve, Denise brown talked with some of the same community members she had met the day after the attack. They explained to the Humanitarian Coordinator how important the support they received was and how it meant they could stay at their homes despite the devastation caused by the attack.

Despite being able to be at their houses and protected against the harsh winter, they also mentioned that it is far from a typical Christmas in Hroza, as everyone is mourning a family member. “They received aid, but the trauma caused by this brutal attack can be felt. Today, we wanted to show our solidarity and continued support to them and to the people of Ukraine suffering the consequences of Russia’s invasion.” Humanitarian organizations, including UN agencies and NGOs, provided people in Hroza with materials to repair their homes, household items, hygiene supplies, cash assistance and psychological support. The attack, on 5 October, left 59 civilians killed - 20 per cent of the entire population of Hroza - and destroyed the only market and café of the village.

A report released today by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) concluded that Russia either failed to undertake all feasible measures to verify that the intended target was a military objective rather than civilians or civilian objects, or deliberately targeted civilians or a civilian object, in either event in violation of international humanitarian law.

Hroza Village, Kharkiv Region, 24 December 2023

For further information, please contact:
Saviano Abreu, OCHA: +380 50 422 39 43, deabreuisidoro@un.org
Viktoriia Andriievska, OCHA: +380 50 419 63 23, viktoriia.andriievska@un.org
OCHA press releases are available at www.unocha.org or www.reliefweb.int