1. The continuing deterioration of the human rights situation in eastern Ukraine, the rapid escalation of hostilities and the growing impact on the rest of the country have been the main developments during the past month72. 2. Egregious human rights abuses have been committed in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine, where armed groups supporting the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” and “Luhansk People’s Republic” (DPR and LPR respectively) have, until recently, controlled a large part of the territory, including most of the main population centres. There have been hundreds of abductions with many victims tortured.73 Increasing numbers of civilians have been killed. 3. The Ukrainian security operation, referred to as an ‘anti-terrorist operation’ (ATO), aimed at regaining control of the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk held by these armed groups, involves the army, the military police (National Guard), the National Security Service (SBU) and volunteers’ battalions. In any law enforcement operation security forces must act proportionally to the threat and must at all times respect the right to life. In addition, in the conduct of hostilities all those involved in the hostilities must comply with principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions. This is particularly important in an environment in which armed groups and civilians are inter-mingled. 4. The current intense fighting using heavy weaponry in and around population areas, has devastated towns and villages, demolishing residential buildings and killing an increasing number of their inhabitants. Precautionary measures should be taken to avoid the deaths and injury of civilians.74 5. There has been deliberate targeting by the armed groups of critical public utilities like water, electricity and sewerage plants that have shut down essential supplies to the residents. Public and private properties have been illegally seized and residences destroyed. Banks have been robbed and coal mines attacked. Railways were blown up. Hospitals and clinics were forced to shut down and essential medicines and emergency medical services became scarce or totally unavailable. People were unable to leave their homes in some places, trapping older persons or persons with disabilities. The rule of law no longer existed and was replaced by the rule of violence. The increased level of fear, intimidation, harassment and fighting inflicted on the population of the region resulted in an ever growing flood of internally displaced persons fleeing, at latest count 86,60975 people. 6. Some regional and local officials were abducted and tortured. The regional government in effect ceased to function in the two eastern regions. Some local authorities continued to work but with greatly reduced control or were co-opted by the armed groups. Salaries, pensions and other social welfare payments stopped in some places. The police and judiciary ceased to function. Residents were left to cope in whatever way they could. Volunteers attempted to fill the gaps. 72 This is the fourth report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Ukraine, based on the work of the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU). It covers the period from 8 June to 15 July 2014. 73 Illegal acts committed by the armed groups include abductions, detentions, torture, murder, executions, extortion, and destruction of property. 74 On 23 July, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued a News Release calling the fighting in eastern Ukraine a ‘non-international armed conflict’ and urging all parties to comply with international humanitarian law. This requires to impose restrictions on the means and methods of warfare and to distinguish at all times between civilians and persons directly participating in the conflict. In particular, no attacks must be directed against civilian objects such as homes, schools, medical facilities and places of worship, among others. 75 UNHCR, 15 July 2014. 133 | P a g e