More civilians have been killed in Ukraine in June than in any single month since April 2022, the United Nations said, as Russia escalated long-range missile strikes.
Exploiting Ukraine’s shortage of air-defence missiles, Russia has in recent months intensified its bombardments of densely populated urban areas, especially the capital Kiev.
“At least 293 civilians were killed and 1,990 injured in Ukraine in June 2026,” said the UN’s human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine on Tuesday.
That was the highest figure since April 2022, the second full month of Russia’s invasion, which has now dragged on for four and a half years.
“The increase was driven largely by long-range attacks by the Russian Federation, which mainly affected urban centres far from the frontline,” the UN added.
The number of verified civilian deaths in Ukraine was 37 percent higher – 1,396 – in the first six months of 2026 compared to last year, and more than twice the number in 2024.
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