UN Data Reveals Surge in Civilian Deaths in Ukraine

In July 2024, the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine resulted in the deaths of at least 219 civilians, marking the highest number of civilian casualties reported since October 2022. The United Nations has released this data, highlighting a significant escalation in civilian harm amidst the ongoing Russian hostilities.

The report notes a shift in the focus of intense military operations from northern Kharkiv to the Donetsk region. Consequently, civilian casualties in Donetsk surged, with the number of confirmed deaths and injuries rising from 125 in May to 224 in June, and further to 269 in July 2024.

One notable incident in July was a massive Russian attack on July 8, which resulted in the deaths of at least 43 civilians, including five children. Additionally, 147 individuals were injured in this attack, which affected Kyiv, the Kyiv region, Dnipro, and Kryvyi Rih in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

The report also provides a comparative view of previous months. In May 2024, the UN Monitoring Mission on Human Rights in Ukraine recorded 174 civilian deaths and 690 injuries, the highest figures since June 2023. Earlier, a report from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in May indicated that at least 1,993 children had been killed or injured since the start of the full-scale invasion by Russia on February 24, 2022.

In January 2024, the UN Security Council was informed that the total number of confirmed civilian casualties since the beginning of the conflict had reached 10,233 deaths and 19,289 injuries. Meanwhile, due to the lack of access of international monitoring organizations to territories, temporarily occupied by Russia, the real toll is likely much higher. Additionally, over 100 Ukrainian civilians had died in Russian captivity, including one child.