Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Between 3 and 4 September, an air attack in Kyiv oblast affected one of WHO's main warehouses storing humanitarian medical supplies. Access was restricted due to heavy smoke and safety concerns, and damage assessments are ongoing. No WHO personnel were harmed, according to WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier.
This is the third attack on WHO-used storage facilities in the past three months. Two weeks earlier, an attack destroyed a WHO warehouse in Dnipro, resulting in the loss of half the medical supplies planned to support around 225,000 people in frontline and hard-to-reach areas. Another warehouse in Kyiv oblast was damaged in attacks in July.
Lindmeier emphasized that these supplies are lifelines for those needing healthcare in frontline and remote areas. Attacks on these facilities can delay or disrupt essential health support.
He noted that these incidents are part of a broader nationwide pattern, with at least 20 attacks on humanitarian supply warehouses in 2024, including 15 targeting health-related goods. WHO and UN facility locations are shared with all conflict parties through established deconfliction arrangements, which Lindmeier said are well known.
Despite these challenges, WHO continues working with health organizations across Ukraine to ensure medical supplies reach necessary facilities and communities. Alternative storage arrangements have been identified following the latest attacks, and efforts to assess damage and replace lost supplies are underway.