Norwegian People's Aid (NPA), a humanitarian organization based in Norway, has temporarily suspended its demining operations in Ukraine. This decision was made following the tragic deaths of two staff members due to Russian shelling in the Kherson region.
According to an NPA press release, the incident occurred on June 24, when two staff members were killed and four were injured during an attack on a demining team. All of the victims are Ukrainian citizens.
One of the staff members died at the scene. The other was taken to the hospital in critical condition, where he later died. The four others sustained moderate injuries, but their lives are not in danger. All of the victims received the necessary medical care, and their families were notified.
Citing military authorities in the Kherson region, the organization reported that the strike was carried out by a Russian “Iskander” missile. NPA is verifying this information and investigating the circumstances of the attack.
Following the incident, Norwegian People’s Aid immediately suspended all demining operations in Ukraine to ensure the safety of its staff. The organization’s office in Ukraine is operating in crisis response mode, providing support to the victims and their colleagues.
“This attack underscores the dangers faced by humanitarian workers in conflict zones. Unfortunately, this is part of the alarming reality we are dealing with,” the organization stated.
