UN: July saw highest civilian deaths in Ukraine since 2022

The United Nations reported on Thursday, August 13, 2026, that the number of civilians killed in Ukraine in July reached its highest level since the early months of the Russian invasion. According to the UN human rights monitoring mission, at least 437 civilians were killed and 2,610 injured in July, a 30 percent increase from the previous month and a 70 percent increase compared to July 2025.

"The number of deaths is the highest recorded since May 2022," the mission said in a statement, as reported by the Straits Times. Russia launched a record number of missiles at Ukraine during July, including ballistic missiles that are difficult to intercept, according to an AFP analysis of data from the Ukrainian air force.

Kyiv among the hardest hit

The capital, Kyiv, was one of the hardest-hit cities, with at least 54 civilians killed during the month. The UN notes that Kyiv was relatively well protected in the early years of the war, but a shortage of air defense and intensified Russian attacks have made it more vulnerable.

Danielle Bell, head of the UN human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine, warned that civilians are facing increasing danger due to the heightened use of missiles and drones in urban centers, glide bombs in cities closer to the front line, and short-range drones.

Total death toll likely much higher

Since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, the UN has verified the deaths of 16,874 civilians, but warns that the actual figure is likely significantly higher because it cannot confirm casualties in parts of Ukraine under Russian occupation. This includes Mariupol, the port city that Russia held under siege at the start of the war and where thousands are believed to have died.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly appealed to allies to deliver more advanced air defense systems, particularly American Patriots, to defend against fast ballistic missiles.

Russia also reports its own casualties

Ukraine has simultaneously intensified its own long-range strikes on Russia, justifying them as retaliation targeting Russia's war machine and energy revenues. Russian authorities reported 79 civilians killed on their territory in July, but the UN says it could not independently verify these figures according to its standards due to lack of access and limited information.

The conflict in Ukraine has become the deadliest war in Europe since World War II, with hundreds of thousands of people, mostly soldiers on both sides, killed since the invasion began. US-led efforts to halt the fighting have so far made no progress.