The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine documented nearly 50% more civilian casualties in the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
In May alone, at least 183 civilians were killed and 836 injured across Ukraine, according to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.
The data shows that attacks using long-range missiles and loitering munitions caused the most widespread harm across the country. Near frontline areas, short-range drones equipped with high-resolution cameras for precision targeting produced the highest civilian casualty rates.
"This year has been devastating for civilians across Ukraine, with significantly more deaths and injuries than during the same period in 2024," stated Danielle Bell, Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.
Bell described the combination of intensified long-range attacks and frequent short-range drone strikes along the frontline as "a deadly combination for civilians."
The attacks affected cities across the country, with Kharkiv experiencing particular impact, along with Kyiv, Odesa and other cities located far from active frontlines.
Bell characterized the sustained nature of the attacks as particularly harmful to civilian populations.
"Hours-long nightly attacks with hundreds of weapons sow fear among families who spend their nights in bomb shelters, listening to the sounds of drones flying overhead," she said. "At this pace and scale, further loss of civilian life is not just possible—it is inevitable."
