Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RUK056

Incident date

March 14, 2022

Location

Чугуївський дитячий садок № 3, Chuhuiv Kindergarten No. 3, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Geolocation

49.831893, 36.684352 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A child was reported killed as a result of shrapnel wounds from an alleged Russian shelling of the city of Chuhuiv on March 14th, 2022.

According to local sources Suspilne Kharkiv and Rodenko Oleksandr via Facebook, shell fragments from artillery fired at a kindergarten resulted in the death of a teenage boy. Police also reported the death of the young boy and stated that “the total number of casualties is being established”.

Though the press service of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, cited by Comments.ua, identified the victim as a 15-year-old boy, police described the victim as 16-years old.

The head of the SIU of the SSMP in the Kharkiv region, Sergey Bolvinov, cited by Objectiv, reported that the shelling of Chuhuiv damaged the kindergarten, three multi-storey buildings and two private houses. Ukrainska pravda reported that a hospital, yards, parks, and markets were shelled in addition to the kindergarten and residential houses.

The Office of the General Prosecutor reported via Facebook that, under the procedural supervision of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, the investigators of the SBU Special Forces initiated an ongoing pre-trial investigation into the violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder (Part 2 Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

All sources alleged Russian responsibility for the strike, with a tweet from @ArtyomShegeda specifying that a “grad” missile was used.

The police, cited by Ukrainska pravda, stated that investigative and operational teams were gathering physical evidence from the sites of all the bombings to further document Russian crimes.

This assessment has reference to ACLED code UKR53324.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (19) [ collapse]

  • Сhuhuiv
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    WAR [ Russia Ukraine Kharkiv ], [14 Mar. 2022 at 22:47] ⚡️The flight of missiles in Chuguev, Kharkiv region.
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling in Chuguev on March 14, 2022. (Image posted by Objectiv News)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling in Chuguev on March 14, 2022. (Image posted by Objectiv News)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling in Chuguev on March 14, 2022. (Image posted by Objectiv News)
  • Body of a victims of alleged Russian shelling in Chuguev on March 14, 2022. (Image posted by Comments.ua)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling in Chuguev on March 14, 2022. (Image posted by Comments.ua)
  • Remains of alleged Russian shell part of an attack in Chuguev on March 14, 2022. (Image posted by Ukrainska pravda)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling in Chuguev on March 14, 2022. (Image posted by Ukrainska pravda)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling in Chuguev on March 14, 2022. (Image posted by Newsroom)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling in Chuguev on March 14, 2022. (Image posted by Police of Kharkiv region via Telegram)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling in Chuguev on March 14, 2022. (Image posted by Police of Kharkiv region via Telegram)
  • Remains of alleged Russian shell part of an attack in Chuguev on March 14, 2022. (Image posted by Police of Kharkiv region via Telegram)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling in Chuguev on March 14, 2022. (Image posted by Police of Kharkiv region via Telegram)
  • Screenshot of Facebook post by Chuhuiv Reporter
  • Screenshot of Facebook post by Rodenko Oleksandr
  • Screenshot of Facebook post by Slobidskyi Krai
  • Screenshot of Facebook post by Kharkiv regional prosecutor’s office
  • Screenshot of Facebook post by Office of General Prosecutor

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention a kindergarten in the town of Chuhuiv (Чугуїв). Analyzing audiovisual material from sources we have identified the kindergarten as Chuhuiv Kindergarten No. 3 (Чугуївський дитячий садок № 3), and narrowed the location of the casualty there down to the following exact coordinates: 49.831893, 36.684352.

{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"Exact Location","label-type":"black-white"},"geometry":{"coordinates":[36.684352,49.831893],"type":"Point"}}]}
  • Tagged visual material from sources

    Imagery:
    Objectiv News

  • Tagged visual material from Google Maps. There are two staircases like this mirrored on each side of the kindergarten, but it is this staircase which matches the orientation of images from the strike

    Imagery:
    Карина Босенко

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (20) [ collapse]