Russian forces on Thursday targeted a humanitarian mission from the Danish Refugee Council. The team was clearing mines near Novoselivka in Ukraine’s Chernihiv Oblast.

The strike killed 2 humanitarian workers and injured 5.

“This is yet another cynical crime. Attacking people carrying out humanitarian work means deliberately putting humanitarian efforts at risk,” said Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights.

The missile strike hit the team as they worked near a checkpoint outside the village, as reported by Dmytro Bryzhynskyi, the head of the Chernihiv City Military Administration.

The victims were employees of a Danish demining team carrying out humanitarian work to make the area safe for civilians.

Chernihiv Oblast lies on Ukraine’s northern border with Russia and Belarus, making it a frequent target for cross-border shelling and strikes.

Russian forces have repeatedly attacked humanitarian missions across Ukraine. These strikes target the people trying to restore normal life in liberated regions, where explosive remnants of past Russian occupation remain a major danger to residents.