Last year marked the highest civilian death toll in Ukraine since 2022, fueled by heavier fighting along the front lines and increased use of long-range weapons, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission said Monday.
Conflict-related violence in Ukraine killed 2,514 civilians and injured 12,142 in 2025, a 31% rise in the number of victims from 2024, the monitor said in a monthly update on civilian harm.
The vast majority of the casualties verified by the watchdog occurred in Ukrainian government-controlled territory from attacks launched by Russian armed forces, the statement added. Ukrainian officials generally cite the U.N. figures as accurate.
Increased efforts by Russian armed forces to capture territory in 2025 resulted in the killing and injuring of civilians, destruction of vital infrastructure, halting of essential services and new waves of displacement in frontline areas, the monitor said.
Almost two-thirds of all casualties last year occurred in frontline areas, with older persons particularly affected as they remained in their villages. Civilian casualties caused by short-range drones also increased sharply, it added.
