Kyiv 8 March 2025 – Attacks across Ukraine on Friday reportedly left 21 civilians dead and scores injured, making it one of the deadliest days this year, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said today. All the 21 civilian deaths and 79 of the 81 injured on 7 March occurred in territory controlled by Ukraine. HRMMU is working to verify the casualty numbers according to its standard methodology.
“With 21 civilians reported killed, 7 March was one of the deadliest days for civilians in Ukraine so far this year,” said Danielle Bell, Chief of HRMMU.
Most of the casualties occurred in Donetsk region, including in Dobropillia town where a Russian attack with multiple weapons late on Friday evening killed 11 civilians and injured 47, including seven children. According to local authorities the attacks destroyed or heavily damaged at least eight five-story residential buildings, an administrative building, and a shopping center.
Only two other days in 2025 have seen as many people killed, HRMMU said. Local authorities reported 21 civilians killed on both 8 January and 1 February. For both dates, HRMMU was able to verify 19 of them.
Though casualty numbers have fluctuated over recent months, they overall remain higher than in 2024. HRMMU will release its monthly protection of civilians update for February on its website on 11 March.
