© picture alliance / Anadolu | Diego Herrera Carcedo
In June, at least 293 civilians were killed and 1,990 were injured in Russian attacks in Ukraine. This is the highest monthly total since April 2022.
The figures for June also represent a further increase compared to May 2026 and are higher than those for June 2025, according to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU).
In the first half of 2026, a total of 1,396 civilians were killed and 7,978 were injured in Ukraine, significantly more than during the same period in 2025 and 2024. Most casualties were caused by long-range weapons such as missiles and drones, particularly in cities far from the front lines, such as Kyiv and Dnipro.
Close to the front lines, the number of casualties caused by short-range drones also rose sharply, reaching the highest monthly level since the start of the invasion. In addition, there were civilian casualties from airstrikes, artillery, rocket attacks, and unexploded ordnance.
Most casualties occurred in areas under Ukrainian control, spread across 13 regions and the city of Kyiv. Ukraine’s energy infrastructure also remained a target of Russian attacks, while Ukrainian attacks in occupied Crimea led to multiple power outages.
“Our findings point to a number of deeply troubling trends: ongoing attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during the winter, a rising number of civilian casualties across Ukraine, continued torture and ill-treatment of prisoners of war, and ongoing restrictions on fundamental rights in the occupied territories,” Danielle Bell, head of the Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), noted in an earlier report covering the first six months of 2026.
“The loss of electricity and heating during the winter had consequences for people’s health, safety, and ability to maintain a decent standard of living, particularly for the elderly, people with disabilities, and families with children,” Bell said. "People will face the same challenges this coming winter, and this will be even more pronounced if the attacks flare up again."
For the report, the HRMMU drew on 1,926 interviews with victims and witnesses, 180 field visits, 48 visits to detention centers, 78 hospital visits, attendance at 33 court hearings, and technical, satellite, and open-source analyses.
Photo: © picture alliance / Anadolu | Diego Herrera Carcedo