Kyiv - New York: Europe and the Arabs
The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported that June saw the highest monthly toll of civilian casualties in Ukraine in three years, with 232 people killed and 1,343 injured. According to the UN daily news bulletin, the mission noted in a statement that Russian attacks on Ukraine increased tenfold compared to the same month last year. It added that virtually no region in Ukraine was spared, with civilians killed or injured in at least 16 regions of the country and in Kyiv.
The head of the mission, Danielle Bell, said that civilians across Ukraine continue to suffer, as the escalation of long-range missile and drone attacks across the country "brings more death and destruction to civilians living far from the front line."
The human rights monitoring mission noted that July has not brought calm, as Ukrainian cities continue to be subjected to repeated waves of missile and drone attacks. Russian armed forces reportedly deployed 397 Shahed munitions and mock drones, along with 18 high-powered missiles, in a dawn attack today that primarily targeted Kyiv.
“Children spend many nights not in their beds but in hallways, basements, and bathrooms, covering their ears from the sounds of sirens and explosions. These experiences leave lasting scars,” Ms. Bell said.
June statistics confirmed this year’s deteriorating trend, with 6,754 civilians killed or injured in the first half of 2025, a sharp 54% increase over the corresponding period in 2024.
Ms. Bell said that daily life in many parts of Ukraine is “dominated by the need to take cover,” with people spending hours sheltering during large-scale strikes, “only to emerge to find their homes or businesses damaged or destroyed.” She added: “This repeated cycle of shelter and loss has become a harsh routine for many communities.” Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission has documented the killing of at least 13,580 civilians, including 716 children, and the injury of 34,115 civilians, including 2,173 children.