UN, February 13. /TASS/. This year, about 3.5 million of Ukrainian citizens may require humanitarian assistance, Assistant UN Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Ursula Mueller told a UN Security Council session on Ukraine on Tuesday.

"Civilians continue to pay the highest price. More than 3,300 civilians have been killed, and up to 9,000 injured since the conflict began in 2014," she said.

"In 2019, 3.5 million people will need humanitarian assistance and protection services many of whom are elderly, women and children," the UN official continued. "For most of them, the impact of the conflict has deepened."

Mueller also said that in 2018 alone, "89 incidents affected water and sanitation facilities and, in the last 12 months, 12 water workers were injured due to hostilities and landmine explosions.".