In August 2024, Russian strikes resulted in the deaths of two Ukrainian children and injuries to 57 others, amidst a total of 1,609 casualties from such attacks. Ukrainian forces retaliated by shelling Russia's Belgorod region, injuring 11 people, including two children who required serious medical attention. Concurrently, Russian shelling in the Donetsk region killed at least five individuals and left two dead in the Kharkiv region, where prior attacks had already claimed numerous lives. The ongoing conflict has prompted Ukrainian authorities to urge evacuations in contested areas, as Russian troops reportedly advance in the region. Amidst these developments, Ukraine has called on its Western allies to lift restrictions on long-range strikes against Russia. The toll of the war continues to weigh heavily on civilian populations, with significant casualties on both sides.