Ukraine civilian toll tops 15,000 in first eight months of 2026 – UN
Photo: Children of war in Ukraine (Getty Images)
At least 2,222 civilians were killed and another 13,058 injured in Ukraine during the first eight months of 2026 as a result of the war, the UN Human Rights Office reports.
The total number of civilians killed and injured from January through August stands at at least 15,280.
The UN noted that this is 55% higher than during the same period in 2025 and more than twice the figure recorded in the first eight months of 2024.
The deadliest months of 2026 were July and August. In July, at least 448 civilians were killed in Ukraine, and another 2,675 were injured.
In August, 372 people were killed, and 2,349 were injured. The UN noted that August was the second-deadliest month for civilians in 2026 after July.
The main cause of civilian casualties in August remained long-range Russian attacks involving missiles and drones. They accounted for 47% of all civilian casualties — 194 killed and 1,077 injured. Most of these casualties were recorded far from the front line, in major population centers.
Near the front line, short-range drones were the main cause of civilian deaths and injuries. In August, they killed 91 people and injured another 727 civilians, accounting for about 30% of all casualties that month.
The UN also stressed that during the first eight months of 2026, the number of civilians killed and injured had already surpassed the figure for the entire year of 2025.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo said the war was entering a “dangerous new phase” as the number of attacks and civilian casualties continued to rise.
According to her, as of September 23, 2026, at least 17,257 civilians had been confirmed killed in Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, including 835 children. Another 53,693 civilians had been injured.
The UN warned that as winter approaches, attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure pose a particular threat and could leave millions of people without electricity and heating.
Earlier, it was reported that civilian casualties in Ukraine in July reached their highest level since 2022.
It was also reported that June was one of the deadliest months for civilians since the beginning of the war.
