Lauge Risom Koch 
June was the deadliest month for civilians since April 2022, with at least 293 people killed and nearly 2,000 injured as Russian attacks intensified across the country.
June was the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine in more than four years, with the United Nations reporting a sharp rise in deaths and injuries as Russian attacks intensified across the country.
According to the Kyiv Independent, citing a report by the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), at least 293 civilians were killed and 1,990 injured in June, the highest monthly toll since April 2022.
Civilian toll rises
The Kyiv Independent reported that June’s casualty figures exceeded those recorded in May, when 282 civilians were killed and 1,794 injured, and were 37% higher than in June 2025.
“Following the sharp increase documented in May, civilian casualties continued to rise, reaching the highest total number of civilians killed and injured since April 2022,” the HRMMU said.
Danielle Bell, head of the mission, warned that the trend reflects Russia’s intensified attacks and increased use of powerful weapons.
“This trend should serve as a warning that the risks faced by civilians are not only persisting but are increasing in both scale and complexity,” Bell said.
Missiles and drones
According to the report, long-range missiles and drones were responsible for 45% of all civilian casualties in June, killing 126 people and injuring 907, with many strikes hitting cities far from the front line, including Kyiv and Dnipro.
The HRMMU also recorded the highest monthly number of civilian casualties caused by short-range drones since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, with 89 people killed and 588 injured.
Zaporizhzhia Oblast recorded the highest number of casualties during the month, followed by Kherson Oblast, while Dnipro and Kyiv also suffered significant losses.
Overall impact
According to the Kyiv Independent, the U.N. documented 1,396 civilians killed and 7,978 injured during the first six months of 2026, representing a 37% increase compared with the same period in 2025.
The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights has verified at least 16,431 civilian deaths and 48,613 injuries since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, while noting that the actual toll is likely higher because access to Russian-occupied areas remains limited.
Sources: Kyiv Independent
