Kyiv, 10 July 2025 – In Ukraine, June saw the highest monthly civilian casualties in three years with 232 people killed and 1,343 injured, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said today.
In its monthly update on the protection of civilians, HRMMU notes that last month the Russian Federation launched ten times more missile and loitering munitions attacks against Ukraine than in June of 2024. Virtually no region of Ukraine was spared, regardless of its distance from the frontline. Civilians were killed or injured in at least 16 regions of the country and the city of Kyiv.
“Civilians across Ukraine are facing levels of suffering we have not seen in over three years,” said Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU. “The surge in long-range missile and drone strikes across the country has brought even more death and destruction to civilians far away from the frontline.”
As Ukraine reeled from the attacks in June, July brought no respite, with numerous Ukrainian cities coming under repeated waves of missile and drone attacks. In today's overnight strike, mainly targeting Kyiv city, Russian armed forces reportedly deployed 397 Shahed loitering munitions and decoy drones, along with 18 high-powered missiles, killing two and injuring at least 16 in Kyiv.
“Children spend many nights not tucked in bed, but sheltering in corridors, basements, and bathrooms, covering their ears from the sounds of sirens and explosions. These experiences bring lasting scars,” Bell said.
The figures for June confirmed this year’s worsening trend, with 6,754 civilians killed or injured in the first half of 2025, a sharp 54 per cent rise from the corresponding period in 2024, when 4,381 civilian casualties were documented. Overall, the past six months saw a 17 per cent increase in civilian deaths and a 64 per cent rise in injuries.
The use by the Russian Federation of powerful long-range missiles and drones against urban areas, the enhanced destructive power of these munitions, and the growing number of attacks were key factors behind the spike in casualties. Furthermore, the increasing deployment of short-range drones has had a deadly impact on communities located close to the frontline.
"In many areas, daily life is dominated by the need to take cover," Bell said. “People often spend hours taking shelter during large-scale strikes, only to emerge and find their homes or businesses damaged or destroyed. This repeated cycle of sheltering and loss is becoming a harsh routine for many communities," she added.
Since the beginning full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation on 24 February 2022, HRMMU has documented the deaths of at least 13,580 civilians, including 716 children, and 34,115 civilians injured, including 2,173 children.
