Ukrainian civilians faced their deadliest year since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, with more than 2,500 people killed in 2025, according to a new United Nations report released on Monday.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said it confirmed the deaths of 2,514 civilians and injuries to 12,142 others during the year. Almost all casualties were caused by Russian attacks on areas under Ukrainian control.
The findings show that civilian danger extends far beyond the front lines. More than one third of those killed or injured were in locations far from active fighting when the attacks occurred, highlighting how widespread the risk has become.
The UN noted a sharp increase in aerial assaults in 2025, with Russian forces intensifying drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities. These attacks have regularly targeted populated areas, spreading fear among civilians.
Civilian casualties last year were 31 percent higher than in 2024 and 70 percent higher than in 2023, the report said. Danielle Bell, head of the UN monitoring mission in Ukraine, said the rise was driven not only by heavier fighting along the front lines but also by the wider use of long-range weapons that placed civilians across the country in danger.
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