Kyiv, 10 October 2025 – At least 214 civilians were killed and almost 1,000 injured across Ukraine in September 2025, marking another devastating month, particularly for communities along the frontline who remained at the epicenter of harm, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said today. Attacks on energy infrastructure also continued throughout September and escalated in October as a large-scale attack last night caused power and water cuts in multiple regions across the country.
“High civilian casualties last month confirm this year’s disturbing pattern of intense violence in Ukraine, as virtually no day passes without civilian deaths or injuries, especially in frontline communities,” said Danielle Bell, Head of the HRMMU.
In its monthly report released on Thursday, HRMMU said 69 per cent of the September civilian casualties occurred near the frontline, with notably high numbers reported in the Donetsk and Kherson regions of eastern Ukraine. At least 87 of the civilians killed were over the age of 60, as older persons are often among the last residents to evacuate from their communities. For example, on 9 September, a Russian aerial glide bomb attack killed 25 civilians (16 women and 9 men) and injured at least 19 (13 women and 6 men) in Yarova, Donetsk region. Most of the victims were collecting their pensions from a postal service vehicle in the town centre when the bomb struck nearby: 21 of those killed and 13 of those injured were over age 60.
The leading cause of casualties near the frontline remained short-range drone attacks, predominantly with First-Person-View drones. As nearly 30 per cent of all civilian casualties were caused by this type of weapon in September, residents reported to HRMMU that frequent short-range drone attacks were making life increasingly dangerous and untenable.
Farther from the frontline, Russian long-range attacks with missiles and loitering munitions continued during the month, causing another 30 per cent of nationwide casualties across 16 regions of Ukraine and the capital Kyiv, including in cities located hundreds of kilometres from the frontline.
Ninety-seven per cent of all civilian casualties occurred in territory controlled by the Government of Ukraine.
Attacks launched by the Russian Federation damaged Ukraine’s energy infrastructure at least 31 times in September, continuing the trend of intensification that began in August 2025. Energy infrastructure in Chernihiv region alone was attacked at least 12 times, leading to temporary power outages in several districts and the subsequent introduction of rolling power outages in October. Last night, another massive country-wide strike targeting energy facilities reportedly killed a 7-year-old boy and injured 34 civilians, causing power outages in several regions of the country, including Kyiv.
In the first nine months of 2025, the number of civilians killed and injured in Ukraine increased by 31 per cent compared to the same period in 2024. This serious increase does not yet show signs of abating.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, HRMMU has documented at least 14,383 civilians killed, including 738 children, and 37,541 injured, including 2,318 children.
