Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RUK080

Incident date

March 25, 2022

Location

Міська лікарня №1, City Hospital No.1, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Geolocation

49.928187, 36.257216 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On March 25th 2022 at approximately 7:45am, Russian forces reportedly shelled the Osnovyansk district of Kharkiv, Ukraine, killing between four and five civilians and injuring three more. The shelling involved artillery fire on residential buildings and a city clinic dispensing humanitarian aid, with some sources referring to it as medical aid, damaging civilian’s houses and vehicles in its wake.

Initial reports put the death toll at 4, as noted by Informator.ua news who reported the shelling hit the clinic with rocket launchers, and resulting in the deaths of four civilians and injuries to three others. However, reports the following day from Allkharkov News stated that five civilians had been killed in the shelling.

Reports indicate that the strike hit the clinic where the center for issuing humanitarian aid was located, despite the absence of any Ukrainian military in the vicinity. Gazeta News reports that in response to this, an investigation was launched by the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office. The investigation is currently ongoing, with law enforcement officials gathering evidence to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The strike in the Osnovyansk district is just one of many attacks that have occurred in the area that day. Oleg Sinegubov, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, said that Russia uses “Hail” and “Uragan” rocket salvo systems in Kharkiv without specifying if they were used during this attack, and other sources attributed the attack to rockets. All of the sources blamed “Russian forces” or the “occupiers” for the shelling.

This incident has ACLED’s reference codes UKR54070 and UKR54607 and Bellingcat’s code CIV0556.

The incident occured at approximately 7:45 am local time.

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention a clinic in the Osnovyansk (Основ’янськ) district of Kharkiv (Харків). Analysing audiovisual material from sources, we have narrowed the location of at least one of the casualties down to the following exact coordinates in the vicinity of City Hospital No.1 (Міська лікарня №1): 49.928187, 36.257216.

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  • Tagged visual material from sources

    Imagery:
    Truexanews

  • Tagged visual material from sources

    Imagery:
    Truexanews

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Humanitarian aid distribution
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 belligerent
    Russian Military

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • Remnants from alleged Russian shelling of Osnovyansk district on March 25, 2022. (Image posted by Truexa News via Telegram)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of Osnovyansk district on March 25, 2022. (Image posted by Kharkiv Regional Prosecutors Office via Telegram)
  • Graphic image of a victims of alleged Russian shelling of Osnovyansk district on March 25, 2022. (Image posted by Kharkiv Regional Prosecutors Office via Telegram)
  • Graphic image of a victims of alleged Russian shelling of Osnovyansk district on March 25, 2022. (Image posted by Kharkiv Regional Prosecutors Office via Telegram)
  • Graphic image of a victims of alleged Russian shelling of Osnovyansk district on March 25, 2022. (Image posted by Kharkiv Regional Prosecutors Office via Telegram)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of Osnovyansk district on March 25, 2022. (Image posted by Kharkiv Regional Prosecutors Office via Telegram)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of Osnovyansk district on March 25, 2022. (Image posted by Kharkiv Regional Prosecutors Office via Telegram)

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
    Humanitarian aid distribution
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 belligerent
    Russian Military

Sources (16) [ collapse]