Russia is wiping out Ukrainian cities daily. In the first half of 2025, 6,754 civilians in Ukraine were killed or injured, the highest number for a six-month period since 2022, says Miroslav Jenča, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas, UkrInform reports.
After a surge in Russian attacks on civilians following each US peace effort, President Donald Trump gave Russia a 50-day ultimatum to strike a peace deal with Ukraine. He warned that failure to comply would trigger harsh economic sanctions, including tariffs of around 100% not only against Russia itself but also against countries purchasing its energy resources.
Daily shelling of Ukrainian towns and villages with missiles and drones has only intensified, he said during a UN Security Council meeting. June saw the highest monthly civilian casualty count in three years.
In July alone, Russia launched at least 5,183 long-range munitions at Ukraine, including a record 728 drones on 9 July. Kyiv and the port city of Odesa have been hit hardest in recent weeks.
Even Ukraine’s western regions, once considered relatively safe, are no longer spared from massive aerial attacks.
According to official UN data, at least 13,580 civilians have been killed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, including 716 children. Another 34,115 people have been injured.
“There is no safe place in Ukraine today,” said Jenča.
He stressed that international law clearly prohibits attacks on civilians and that the UN strongly condemns all such assaults.
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