Piotr Kowalczuk – Vatican
Deadly June
Last month, at least 293 civilians were killed and 1990 were injured. This is the largest monthly civilian casualty toll since the beginning of the Russian aggression. In May, 282 civilians were killed in Ukraine. And 1794 people were injured – writes Vatican News.
Rising Risk
“The data indicates an alarming trend of escalation, with a growing number of civilian casualties. This is the result of the increasingly frequent use by Russians of powerful, deadly weapons against civilians in densely populated urban areas,” said Danielle Bell, head of HRMMU, adding: “This trend should serve as a warning that threats to civilians are not only persisting but growing.” United Nations observers in Ukraine verified civilian casualties in the first six months of 2026: 1396 killed and 7978 injured, which is 37% more than in the same period in 2025 and 114% more compared to 2024.
Deadly Missile and Drone Attacks
This increase was largely due to the use of long-range weapons – powerful missiles and drones – in attacks on urban centers located far from the front line, such as Kyiv and Dnipro. Between January and June, the number of civilian casualties from such attacks increased by 60 percent compared to 2025. Short-range drones, on the other hand, were responsible for most civilian deaths and injuries in areas near the front line, reaching an all-time monthly high in June: 89 killed and 588 injured.
Shooting and Attacks Day and Night
“Short-range drones have changed the environment in which civilians living near the front line exist. The accounts we hear from displaced civilians are very consistent and terrifying,” said Ms. Danielle Bell – “Many people describe feeling hunted by short-range drones, even when trying to carry out daily activities, such as grocery shopping, walking dogs, cycling, gardening, or traveling.” An elderly woman evacuated from the village of Preobrazhenka in the frontline zone told UN observers:
“Drones were everywhere. Everything was flying overhead. I didn’t know where to hide. There is a terrible fear there. They shoot and attack day and night.”
Areas Attacked
Most civilian casualties occurred in areas controlled by the Ukrainian government, but UN mission observers also recorded casualties among Ukrainian civilians in occupied territories, although these were fewer compared to last year.
Russian Civilian Casualties
According to data presented by the Russian government, in the first six months of the year, 250 civilians were killed and 1596 were injured as a result of Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory, an increase of 121% compared to the same period in 2025.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Since then, UN observers have confirmed the deaths of at least 16,431 civilians and 48,613 injured, including over 3,700 children. But the number of victims is certainly much higher.
