UN Urges End to Civilian Casualties in Ukraine

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has verified at least 60,659 civilian casualties in Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion began, with 15,850 killed and 44,809 injured.

The UN also notes that actual figures are likely significantly higher due to reporting delays in active combat zones.

Casualty Breakdown & Trends

Total Confirmed Casualties: At least 60,659 (15,850 killed, 44,809 injured) since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Recent Monthly Toll: In April 2026, at least 238 civilians were killed and 1,404 were injured, the highest monthly toll since July 2025.

Children: At least 766 children have been killed and 2,540 injured.

Primary Causes of Harm

Frontline Areas: Over 60% of all casualties occur in frontline communities. Short-range drone attacks in these areas have spiked, making evacuations and emergency care extremely dangerous.

Urban Centers: The extensive use of long-range missiles and loitering munitions has caused massive civilian harm in populated, non-frontline regions.

Mines & Explosives: Mines and explosive remnants of war account for significant civilian deaths and injuries.

Demographic Vulnerability: Older persons (those aged 60 and above) are disproportionately affected, making up nearly half of all civilian deaths in frontline communities.

The war in Ukraine is deadlier today than at any point since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, top UN officials warned the Security Council on June 8, as Council members repeatedly stressed “enough is enough” and pleaded for an immediate ceasefire and a return to diplomacy.

“Appallingly, the last few months have seen some of the most extensive aerial attacks of the war,” Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, told the 15-member Council as it met for the fifth time in three weeks on developments related to Ukraine or the spillover effects of the war.

Just hours after the last Council briefing on Ukraine, on June, the aggressor-state launched one of its biggest missile and drone bombardments across Ukraine.  “Kyiv was heavily hit,” DiCarlo said, adding that, according to local authorities, seven people were killed and 89 injured.  In Dnipro, missile strikes reportedly hit a residential area killing 16 people, including 2 children.  Civilian casualties and extensive damage were also reported in Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia and Chernihiv regions.

Deadly incidents have also been reported in areas currently under the control of Russia, DiCarlo stated.  On June 3, eight people were reportedly killed when a drone struck a bus in Donetsk region, and on June 4, in occupied Crimea, three people were reportedly killed in a drone strike, according to Russia occupying authorities. Striking civilian transportation vehicles and facilities has been commonplace by Russia.

Further, she condemned attacks on nuclear facilities, welcomed the recent exchange of prisoners of war between Ukraine and Russia, and urged the immediate return of all forcibly transferred Ukrainian children. Reiterating the UN Secretary-General’s call for an immediate ceasefire, she stressed that peace must be consistent with the UN Charter and relevant resolutions.

“The past week has brought another surge in civilian casualties and suffering,” stated Indrika Ratwatte, Acting Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, via video link.  At least 30 civilians were reported killed and over 200 injured across Ukraine between 5 June and the early hours of today in “one of the most significant attacks on the capital since February 2022.”

Emphasizing that these attacks are “unacceptable,” Ratwatte said that international rules obliging civilian protection “exist to limit suffering and preserve dignity precisely when there is war.”  “They must be respected,” he said reiterating that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is ready to work with both parties to help front-line civilians receive aid.

“Today, 10.8 million people require humanitarian assistance.  Yet, we have received less than half the funding needed to reach them,” he said, pointing out:  “My asks to this Council are straightforward.”  He called on the Council to use its influence to reverse the erosion of civilian protection and to help preserve and expand humanitarian operations to reach civilians in need “wherever they are.” Noting that Ukraine “remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises”, he urged Council members to ensure that humanitarian organizations have the funding needed to be present where needs are greatest.  “We urge all those with influence:  please, use it,” he concluded.

Several delegates welcomed the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s call last week in this letter to Putin for a full ceasefire and diplomatic end to the war, with the representative of the United Kingdom urging:  “Enough is enough, a comprehensive ceasefire is long overdue.”

The UK Chargé d’Affaires, Deputy Ambassador James Ford observed: “Allow me to say that every civilian death in this war is a tragedy. These are people, not statistics. And we cannot allow the normalization of such death and destruction. But we must also be clear about cause and responsibility. Russia chose to start this illegal and unprovoked war of aggression. Further civilian casualties on both sides could be avoided tomorrow if Russia agreed to a full ceasefire, as Ukraine has done. But Moscow refuses to do so.

“Mr Chair, the reality is that Russia is not seeking sympathy. It is pushing propaganda. It is deploying its disinformation machine, designed to divide and deflect. And it is manufacturing a false equivalence to try to justify its illegal war of aggression. The focus of this forum should remain on facts and on accountability – and on the simple truth that Russia could stop further civilian suffering at any moment, by ending its war against Ukraine,” Ford concluded.