Drone attack to blame for death of French Heks employee
Published: Tuesday, Feb 20th 2024, 12:11
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The deaths of two French employees of the Swiss aid organization Heks on February 1 were caused by a drone attack, according to the organization. An investigation has shown this. The French and Ukrainian governments have launched a war crimes investigation into the attack.
Heks has temporarily withdrawn from work in hard-to-reach areas, but is continuing its humanitarian aid in other regions of Ukraine, according to a statement on Tuesday.
The six-strong Heks team was deployed to assess the humanitarian situation in the area around the town of Beryslav on the north bank of the Dnieper River. According to the press release, the aim was to identify areas where humanitarian aid can be provided.
The civil and military administration of Kherson Oblast had given Heks permission to enter the area. When the two vehicles wanted to leave Beryslav, they were suddenly attacked by drones, it was reported. All six Heks employees were injured in several further drone attacks. Both fatalities are French citizens. The injured - three French and one Ukrainian - found refuge in a house, where they also brought the bodies of their two colleagues.
They were evacuated at nightfall and received medical treatment on site. The next day, the Heks team was taken to Kiev, where the injured received medical treatment in hospital, the aid organization wrote. All four of the injured are doing well under the circumstances.
The Heks programme in Ukraine is currently one of the largest in the entire organization, with offices in Odessa and Kiev, among other places. Heks has security protocols for working in all countries. The team of six security coordinators in Ukraine is currently reviewing the security situation in the country.
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