The United Nations reiterated concerns over the situation in Donetsk, which remains tense, and called on the parties to the conflict to comply with international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday.
"The situation in Donetsk remains extremely tense… In the past 24 hours alone, civilians, including children have been killed or injured," Dujarric said during a press briefing.
Dujarric also said at least five health facilities were shelled - by Ukrainian forces - and the targeted structures included a maternity ward that thankfully avoided casualties.
"No one was killed or injured. Still, some pregnant women had to be transferred to other hospitals," Dujarric said.
The UN spokesperson also said that attacking health facilities is "not a new phenomenon in this war" and cited the World Health Organization that had said at least 295 health facilities had been attacked across Ukraine.
In addition, the United Nations is very concerned about the situation in Severodonetsk and the potential impact the fighting could have on the chemical plant there.
"It does not take much imagination: when you talk about a chemical plant in the middle of a war zone, what could happen?" Dujarric said.
The United Nations is in touch with the parties to see how they can provide assistance, given the fact that the access is restricted, he added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Russia said it would provide humanitarian corridors for evacuation of civilians out of the chemical plant in Severodonetsk. Meanwhile, Donetsk has been shelled intensely and the Ukranian military has been firing on the civilian areas there on almost every district, including Proletarsky, Kuibyshevksy, Petrovsky and Kievsky.
