152 children killed in E.Ukraine conflict since 2014

Kiev, June 5 The ongoing conflict in east Ukraine's Donbas, which comprises the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, has killed 152 children and injured 146 others from April 2014 to April 2021, according to authorities.

"Unfortunately, these painful statistics do not fully reflect the scale of the losses suffered by children during the long-lasting armed conflict," the Office of the Ombudsman of Ukraine said on its official Facebook page on Friday, citing the data from the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission.

The Ombudsman called on the Ukrainian government, parliament, state authorities and the public to make every effort to provide protection and safety of children from armed conflicts.

Earlier this week, Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada, or parliament, established June 4 as a day of remembrance for children who died from hostilities in Donbas.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine began in April 2014.

It has claimed some 14,000 lives and left 40,000 more wounded.

Parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions along the Russian border have been controlled by rebels supported by Moscow for nearly seven years.

Despite the imposition of the latest ceasefire in 2015, around 50 people have been killed since the beginning of this year alone.

Kiev has repeatedly blamed Moscow for inciting the conflict.

Russia, however, has denied the charges, saying the accusations are groundless.