Pope Leo on Sunday said innocent people are being killed and wounded in Ukraine and ​Russia, and called for an end to the ‌conflict.
"Tragic incidents are multiplying, causing an ever-growing number of civilian victims, including children," the pontiff said before worshippers gathered for ​Sunday's Angelus prayer.

"I renew my heartfelt appeal for ​international humanitarian law to be respected and for ⁠attacks against civilian targets to cease on both sides," ​the pope added.

More than 16,000 civilians have been killed ​in nearly 4-1/2 years of fighting, according to the U.N., the overwhelming majority of them Ukrainian.

The U.N. human rights office said ​in July civilian injuries and deaths had increased ​by more than a third in Ukraine in the first half ‌of ⁠the year, driven by rising numbers of drone attacks.

Meanwhile Kyiv is also responding with waves of drone attacks on Russia. A U.N. official said last month civilians living ​in Ukrainian territories ​under Russian ⁠occupation and inside Russia were also being killed.

Ukraine's Odesa seaport sustained damage from an overnight ​Russian attack, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on ​Sunday, adding ⁠that eight people had been wounded in the city.

Five people died in a Ukrainian overnight drone attack on ⁠the ​Russian city of Belgorod, the regional crisis ​centre said on Sunday.

Both Russia and Ukraine deny deliberately targeting civilians in ​their attacks.


-Reuters