Attacks with short-range drones killed at least 395 civilians and injured 2,635 between February 2022 – the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – and April 2025, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission (HRMMU) has reported.
Deadly hostilities continued along the front-line regions of Ukraine on Wednesday, displacing civilians and damaging civilian infrastructure, the UN has reported.
Dozens of civilians – including children and school staff – were killed or wounded in Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities this week, in what UN human rights monitors described as a “foreseeable” tragedy caused by strikes on populated areas.
The UN Security Council met on Friday to discuss the situation in Ukraine, where intensified fighting continues, affecting new areas and prompting further displacement.
At least 14 civilians were reportedly killed and more than 100 injured in Kyiv overnight into Tuesday, as Russian drone and missile strikes struck multiple Ukrainian cities in one of the heaviest nights of bombing in months.
Civilian deaths and injuries in the first five months of 2025 were nearly 50 per cent higher than the same period last year, UN rights experts tasked with monitoring abuses in war-torn Ukraine said on Wednesday in their latest report.
The head of the UN-backed nuclear watchdog has raised fresh concerns over Iran’s failure to fully cooperate with inspections, warning that this is preventing independent verification of its nuclear activities.
In Ukraine, overnight attacks continued into Thursday morning, resulting in 45 casualties and significant damage to civilian infrastructure, the UN has reported.
Ukraine’s Kakhovka Dam was destroyed exactly two years ago on Friday, representing the most significant environmental disaster so far resulting from Russia’s ongoing invasion. Its collapse directly impacted over 100,000 people and submerged more than 620 square kilometres under water.
In addition to causing widespread displacement, the disaster created a humanitarian and ecological crisis – threatening disease outbreaks and prompting the collapse of ecosystems. The loss and damage from this event is estimated to be $14 billion.