WHO reports third warehouse attack in Kyiv
The World Health Organization says a recent airstrikes have damaged its medical supply warehouses in Ukraine, marking the third such incident in three
The World Health Organization reported that an overnight airstrike damaged one of its main humanitarian warehouses in the Kyiv region between 3 and 4 September. This marks the third attack on a WHO-used storage facility in Ukraine within the last three months. WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said the access to the site remains restricted due to heavy smoke and safety concerns, with assessments of damage and stock losses ongoing. No WHO personnel were affected in the incident.
This follows two prior attacks on WHO warehouses in different parts of the country. Two weeks ago, an attack destroyed a humanitarian warehouse in Dnipro, resulting in the loss of half the medical supplies and equipment intended for an estimated 225,000 people in frontline and hard-to-reach areas. In July, another WHO warehouse in Kyiv oblast was damaged during a large-scale wave of attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region.
Lindmeier emphasized that humanitarian medical supplies are a lifeline for civilians needing healthcare in frontline and hard-to-reach areas, and that attacks on storage facilities can delay or disrupt the delivery of essential health support. He noted a growing pattern of such attacks nationwide.
According to Lindmeier, in 2026 at least 20 attacks have affected warehouses storing humanitarian supplies across Ukraine, including 15 attacks on warehouses holding health-related humanitarian supplies. He stressed that the locations of UN and WHO facilities are known to all parties to the conflict through established deconfliction arrangements, stating that all such locations are communicated to all sides.
Despite the attacks, WHO continues to work with health partners across Ukraine to ensure essential medical supplies reach those in need. Alternative storage arrangements have been identified following the latest incidents, and efforts are underway to assess damage and replace lost supplies.
In 2026, WHO’s humanitarian response included the provision of equipment and supplies to over 300 health-care facilities, such as primary care centres, hospitals, laboratories, and transit centers, supporting the health system to reach three million beneficiaries. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on 24 February 2022, WHO has verified more than 3,000 attacks on healthcare, including strikes on health facilities, ambulances, medical supplies, and warehouses.
