Ukraine Civilian Casualties Rise 27% in 2025, UN Reports

Attacks continue in Ukraine.

Civilian casualties in Ukraine were 27 per cent higher from January to October 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to the latest UN human rights report.

“The number of casualties for the first ten months of 2025 (12,062) has already exceeded the total for all of 2024 (9,112),” said the report by the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU).

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022, there have been a total of 53,006 civilian casualties, including 14,534 deaths.

Frontline communities remain the most at risk, largely due to long-range missile and drone strikes, which account for 65 per cent of deaths and injuries, particularly in Kherson, Kharkiv, and Donetsk regions.

“At least 148 civilians were killed and 929 injured in October, mirroring the high numbers in the previous two months,” the UN monitoring mission highlighted.

Rising Attacks on Energy Infrastructure

Nearly four years into the war, Ukraine faces intensified attacks on energy infrastructure. In October and November, renewed strikes on the power grid caused further nationwide blackouts.

“As civilians in Ukraine head into another winter, the increase in attacks on energy infrastructure and resulting power outages heightens risks for the population,” said Danielle Bell, head of the monitoring mission.

“Any prolonged disruptions to heating, electricity, or water supplies would create extreme hardships, particularly for older persons, persons with disabilities, families with young children, and women who often bear primary responsibility for caregiving and ensuring access to essential needs,” she added.

The UN and its partners continue to work closely with people on the ground to deliver life-saving aid to the hardest-hit communities.