UN: Ukraine saw highest number of civilian deaths last year since 2022

2025 was the deadliest year for civilians in Ukraine since 2022. 2 514 civilians were killed and 12 142 were injured.

This is stated in the monthly report of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

In 2025, the number of civilians killed and injured in Ukraine increased by 31% compared to 2024 (2 088 killed and 9 138 injured) and by 70% compared to 2023 (1 974 killed and 6 651 injured).

The vast majority of casualties that the UN mission was able to confirm in 2025 occurred in Ukrainian-controlled territory due to attacks by Russian troops (97%: 2 395 dead and 11 751 wounded).

63% (9 253 people) were injured in frontline areas in 2025. 45% (742) of civilians killed in frontline areas were people over 60 years old.

Civilian casualties from short-range drone attacks increased by 120% in 2025, with 577 civilians killed and 3 288 injured. In 2024, short-range drone attacks killed 226 people and injured 1 528.

Long-range weapons (missiles and guided bombs) caused 35% of civilian casualties in Ukraine (682 dead and 4 443 injured). This is 65% more than in 2024 (531 dead and 2 569 injured).

The deadliest attack was on Ternopil on November 19, when a strike on an apartment building killed 38 civilians, nine of them children. At least 99 civilians were injured, including 17 children.

For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.