Civilian casualties in Ukraine rose nearly 30% in July, with the UN recording at least 437 deaths and 2,610 injuries.
Long-range missiles, glide bombs and short-range drones drove much of the increase.
Kyiv, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia were among the worst-hit areas, while 17 children were killed and 166 injured.
Ukraine Civilian Casualties Hit Highest Level Since May 2022: UN
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said at least 437 civilians were killed and 2,610 injured in July
Summary
Civilian casualties in Ukraine rose nearly 30% month-on-month in July, reaching their highest level since May 2022, as Russian missile and drone attacks struck cities far from the frontline, the United Nations said on Friday.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said at least 437 civilians were killed and 2,610 injured in July.
The figures represented a 30% increase from June and a 70% rise compared with July last year.
Long-range missiles and drones were the leading cause of civilian deaths, accounting for 38% of the total casualties. Most of these casualties occurred in urban areas away from the frontline, the UN said.
Ballistic Missiles Among Major Threats
Russia has intensified its use of ballistic missiles in recent months. Their high speed and steep trajectories make them more difficult to intercept than drones and cruise missiles.
Ukraine has faced shortages of US-made Patriot air defence systems, which are particularly important for countering ballistic missile attacks. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appealed to Washington for additional systems.
Russian glide bombs were the second-largest cause of civilian deaths in July.
Civilian casualties from aerial bombardments increased 143% from June, with 105 people killed and 753 wounded.
Short-range drones also caused a sharp increase in casualties near the frontline. They killed 111 people and injured 710 in July, the highest monthly figure since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Residents in frontline cities such as Kherson have described Russian drones targeting civilians and vehicles as “safari” attacks.
Kyiv Among Worst-Hit Cities
Kyiv recorded the highest number of civilian deaths in July, with 54 people killed, followed by Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
The number of children killed or injured also reached its highest level since April 2022, with 17 children killed and 166 injured, according to the UN.
The UN said its figures included 25 civilians killed and 50 wounded in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. It cautioned that the actual toll was likely considerably higher because access to information from those areas has become increasingly limited.
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Civilian Toll Crosses 16,000
More than 16,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since the war began, according to the UN, with the overwhelming majority being Ukrainian.
Both Russia and Ukraine deny deliberately targeting civilians.
Ukraine has also stepped up drone and long-range missile attacks against Russia. Russian authorities have reported civilian casualties from some of these strikes, including a drone attack in Nizhnekamsk on Monday that officials said killed at least 13 people.
An independent Conflict Intelligence Team estimated that 634 civilians were killed across both sides of the conflict in July, although Reuters said it could not independently verify the figure.
(With Reuters Inputs)
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