Russia's war surges Ukraine's civilian casualties by 85% in September — UN
Photo: Ambulance (Getty Images)
In September, at least 328 civilians were killed in Ukraine, and another 2,105 were wounded. The total number of casualties rose by 85% compared to September of last year, the UN reports.
According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, 249 civilian deaths and 1,068 civilian injuries were confirmed in September 2025. This year's figures indicate a further increase in casualties amid intensifying Russian attacks across the country.
Civilians were killed or wounded in 22 regions of Ukraine and in Kyiv. The highest number of casualties was recorded in the capital, Kherson, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia.
The situation in Kyiv was particularly dire. In September, civilian casualties were recorded on 22 out of 30 days. According to the UN, this is more frequent than in any other month since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.
October
In October, the number of civilian casualties also remained high. On the night of October 7, Russian troops attacked several regions of Ukraine with cruise missiles and drones.
One of the most tragic incidents was the strike on Pryluky in the Chernihiv region. There, 22 civilians were killed, and another 45 were wounded.
The UN Monitoring Mission also documented attacks with a high number of casualties in Kramatorsk on October 8, Zaporizhzhia on October 10, and Lutsk on October 14.
"The first two weeks of October were among the deadliest periods for civilians in years," says Danielle Belle, head of the UN Monitoring Mission. According to her, in just a few days, Russian attacks caused incidents with a large number of casualties in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kramatorsk, and Kyiv.
The UN also confirmed the deaths of 18 civilians and injuries to another 44 people in territories temporarily occupied by Russia in September. At the same time, the actual number of casualties there may be significantly higher. Due to the lack of access to these areas and independent sources of information, it is difficult to verify all reports of Russian attacks.
Russia intensifies attacks on Ukraine's energy sector
The high number of casualties in September and October coincided with the resumption of systematic Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. In late August, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced preparations for massive strikes on Ukraine's energy facilities.
On September 30, a Russian attack damaged power generation, distribution, and transmission facilities in three regions and in Kyiv. This caused emergency power outages.
On the night of October 14, Russian forces again attacked energy and heating facilities across Ukraine. Among those targeted were three of Kyiv’s main power plants. According to Ukrainian authorities, the attack left approximately 600,000 people in Kyiv temporarily without electricity.
At the same time, the Ukrainian military also carried out attacks on energy and heating infrastructure in Russian-occupied territories and within Russia. According to statistics released by the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Unmanned Systems Forces, they carried out 82 such attacks.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warns that systematic attacks on energy and heating infrastructure on the eve of winter could exacerbate the suffering of the civilian population. Disruptions to electricity and heat supply pose additional risks to people, especially during the cold season.
According to the UN, at least 2,222 civilians were killed in Ukraine during the first eight months of 2026, and another 13,058 were wounded.
The total number of dead and wounded exceeded the figure for the same period last year by 55%.
