The Swiss voice in the world since 1935
Top stories
Stay in touch with Switzerland

Swiss NGO offices in Ukraine hit by Russian strike

A view of the damaged Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) office after shelling in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine, 24 July 2024, amid the Russian invasion. The FSD office in Kharkiv was hit by a Russian missile strike on 24 July morning, the head of the Kharkiv Military Administration Oleg Synegubov wrote on telegram. As a result of shelling the facade and ceilings on several floors were destroyed, including six cars used by the organization's medics, Synegubov said. The FSD (Fondation suisse de deminage), a Swiss non-governmental humanitarian organization based in Geneva, is involved in conducting demining operations in Ukraine. Russian troops entered Ukrainian territory in February 2022, starting a conflict that has provoked destruction and a humanitarian crisis. EPA/SERGEY KOZLOV
A view of the damaged Swiss mine clearance organisation (FSD) office after shelling in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine, July 24, 2024, amid the Russian invasion. The FSD office in Kharkiv was hit by a Russian missile strike. This was announced by the head of the Kharkiv military administration, Oleg Synegubov, on telegram. As a result of shelling the facade and ceilings on several floors were destroyed, including six cars used by the organisation's medics, Synegubov said. The FSD is a Swiss non-governmental humanitarian organisation based in Geneva, is involved in conducting demining operations in Ukraine. EPA/Sergey Kozlov

On Wednesday morning, the offices of the "Fondation suisse de déminage", or Swiss mine clearance organisation, (FSD) were struck by a Russian missile in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine.

The building was severely damaged, but no staff from the Geneva-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) were injured or killed, according to the FSD.

+ Sign up to get the most important news from Switzerland directly in your inbox

The building, as well as vehicles and equipment, sustained significant damage, the FSD said in a statement to the Keystone-SDA news agency.

The organisation says it is “deeply saddened” by the strike. It is taking immediate steps to ensure the safety of its staff and support those affected. It is assessing the damage and working on a plan to resume operations “as quickly as possible”.

Translated from French by DeepL/sp

Correction: A previous version of this article used an automatic translation for the Fondation suisse de déminage (FSD)

This news story has been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team. At SWI swissinfo.ch we select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools such as DeepL to translate it into English. Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles.

If you want to know more about how we work, have a look here, if you want to learn more about how we use technology, click here, and if you have feedback on this news story please write to english@swissinfo.ch.

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

Higher direct payments do not stop scrub encroachment on alpine pastures

More

Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures

This content was published on The scrub encroachment on Swiss alpine pastures leads to the loss of grassland and damages the typical landscape. It is also responsible for the decline in biodiversity. Despite higher direct payments, the bushes continue to spread.

Read more: Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures
Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey

More

Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey

This content was published on In a survey, the population of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland expressed general satisfaction with their lives. Respondents were less happy with politics and their personal finances, according to the online comparison service Moneyland.

Read more: Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey
Millionaires prioritise well-being over material possessions

More

High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions

This content was published on The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.

Read more: High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
Spanish flu: virus genome deciphered a century later

More

Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus

This content was published on Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.

Read more: Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR