Pope Leo calls for halt to Ukraine war and attacks on civilian sites as toll rises
Read NV on Google
The pope again said the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to claim civilian lives. (Photo: Vatican Media/Mario Tomassetti/Handout via REUTERS)
Pope Leo again said on Aug. 9 that the war between Russia
and Ukraine continues to claim civilian lives, calling for an end to the
conflict and respect for international humanitarian law, Reuters
reported.
The pope said the toll from Russia’s war against Ukraine
continues to rise, with increasing numbers of civilians killed and wounded,
including children. He made the remarks to worshippers gathered for the
traditional Angelus prayer.
Pope Leo again urged both sides to comply with international
humanitarian law. He also stressed the need for both sides to stop attacks on
civilian sites.
More than 16,000 civilians have been killed during nearly
four and a half years of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, according to
the United Nations. The vast majority of those killed were Ukrainian citizens.
In July, the U.N. Human Rights Office reported that civilian
deaths and injuries in Ukraine rose by more than a third in the first half of
2026. One of the main reasons was an increase in drone attacks.
Ukraine, meanwhile, has continued carrying out drone strikes
on Russian territory. A U.N. representative said last month that civilians were
being killed both in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine and in Russia itself.
An overnight Russian attack on Aug. 9 damaged the Odesa
seaport. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said eight people were wounded
in the strike.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
