The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday that one of its primary warehouses in Ukraine, storing humanitarian medical supplies, was affected by an overnight air attack. This marks the third such incident in three months, highlighting a broader pattern of attacks on humanitarian facilities across the country.
WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier informed reporters in Geneva that the warehouse, located in Kyiv Oblast, was hit during the night. The attack has restricted access to the site due to heavy smoke and safety concerns, while assessments of possible damage and stock losses are still ongoing.
Fortunately, no WHO personnel were harmed in the attack. However, the incident underscores the perilous conditions under which humanitarian operations are being conducted in Ukraine. Lindmeier emphasized that this attack is part of a larger trend, with at least 20 attacks on warehouses storing humanitarian supplies reported in 2026, including 15 specifically targeting health-related supplies.
Over the past three months, three WHO warehouses in different regions of Ukraine have been damaged by airstrikes, resulting in the destruction of essential medical supplies intended for frontline and hard-to-reach areas. Two weeks ago, an attack on a humanitarian warehouse in Dnipro led to the loss of half of the medical supplies and equipment, which were meant to support an estimated 225,000 people. Another WHO warehouse in the Kyiv Oblast was damaged in July during a large-scale wave of attacks on the capital and surrounding areas.
Lindmeier noted that all WHO warehouses, along with other UN and WHO locations, are deconflicted, meaning their locations are clearly communicated to all parties involved in the armed conflict. Despite this, the attacks continue, raising serious concerns about the safety and security of humanitarian operations in the region.
The WHO verifies and records attacks on healthcare facilities but does not attribute blame, as it is not an investigative agency. Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, the UN agency has verified more than 3,000 attacks in Ukraine. Health facilities and the health system as a whole are protected under international humanitarian and rights law.
The continuous attacks on humanitarian aid warehouses in Ukraine not only disrupt the delivery of essential medical supplies but also pose a significant threat to the ongoing humanitarian efforts in the region. For Bangladesh, which has a history of supporting international humanitarian causes, the situation underscores the importance of safeguarding aid operations and ensuring the protection of those providing essential services in conflict zones.
