UN confirms over 15,000 civilian deaths in Ukraine since start of full-scale war
More than 15,000 civilians have been killed and over 41,000 injured in Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion.
That is according to a new report by the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.
"Conflict-related violence has killed at least 15,172 civilians and injured 41,378 in Ukraine since 24 February 2022. At least 766 children have been killed and 2,540 injured," the report states.
The UN noted that in 2025 and 2026, the harm to the civilian population demonstrably worsened: more civilians were killed and injured than in 2023 and 2024, and civilians across the country suffered the dire consequences of sustained and systematic attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
According to the report, civilians have been killed and injured in 26 of Ukraine's 27 administrative regions. The vast majority of casualties (87 per cent) occurred in territory controlled by Ukrainian authorities.
In 2025, conflict-related violence killed at least 2,526 civilians and injured 12,162. The total number of killed and injured civilians in 2025 was 31 per cent higher than in 2024 (2,088 killed; 9,138 injured) and 70 per cent higher than in 2023 (1,974 killed; 6,651 injured), the UN said.
The report states that the use of long-range weapons (missiles and loitering munitions) significantly increased in 2025, causing 35 per cent of civilian casualties in Ukraine (686 killed and 4,451 injured), a 66 per cent increase in killed and injured compared with 2024 (531 killed and 2,569 injured).
Sixty-three per cent (9,272) of all casualties in 2025 occurred in frontline areas. Civilian casualties caused by short-range drones in frontline areas increased by 121 per cent in 2025, resulting in 580 civilians killed and 3,295 injured, compared with 226 killed and 1,528 injured in 2024.
In addition to ongoing shelling, the UN documented serious violations of international law by Russian authorities, including executions of prisoners.
"Russian authorities have executed civilian detainees and captured Ukrainian military personnel, with an increase in reports of executions of captured military personnel in late 2025," the report states.
Russian authorities have subjected POWs and civilian detainees to widespread and systematic torture and ill-treatment, including with the pervasive use of sexual violence.
At least 109 captured Ukrainian military personnel (all men) have been executed, including 70 (all men) in 2024 and 2025. At least 43 Ukrainian POWs (all men) have died in custody.
Regarding civilians held in Russian captivity, at least 182 civilians (148 men, 27 women, 5 boys, 2 girls) have been executed in areas controlled by Russian authorities, including in places of detention. At least 40 civilians (31 men and 9 women) have died in custody.
Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine