As Russian long-range airstrikes continue, civilian casualties in Ukraine reached their highest level in over four years last month.
According to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), at least 293 civilians were killed and 1,990 injured in June. This marks the highest monthly toll since the early days of Russia's invasion in April 2022.
The UN attributed the increase in civilian casualties primarily to Russia's long-range attacks, particularly affecting densely populated areas far from the front lines.
Recently, Russia has intensified missile and drone strikes on rear cities, including the capital Kyiv, taking advantage of Ukraine's shortage of air defense missiles. Russian authorities claim these attacks target military and infrastructure sites, denying allegations of civilian attacks.
In the first half of this year, Ukraine recorded 1,396 confirmed civilian deaths, a 37% increase compared to the same period last year. This figure is more than double that of the first half of 2024. Russian authorities also reported that 250 civilians died in their country during the same period, a 121% increase from the previous year.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, the UN has documented a total of 16,431 civilian deaths in Ukraine, including 803 children. However, the UN noted that accurate casualty figures are difficult to ascertain in areas currently controlled by Russia, such as Mariupol and Lysychansk, suggesting that the actual death toll may be significantly higher.
Russian airstrikes continued on the same day, with local authorities in Ukraine reporting that the Black Sea port city of Odesa was attacked, resulting in the deaths of three civilians. The day before, two people were killed, and a civilian vessel registered in the Marshall Islands was damaged, marking two consecutive days of casualties. At least three people also died in the northern Sumy region.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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