UN: Civilian casualties in Ukraine hit three-year high in July

In July 2025, the number of dead and wounded civilians in Ukraine reached a three-year high. Almost 300 people died in a month, according to a UN report.
The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) today reported in an update that in July, the number of civilian casualties in Ukraine reached a new three-year monthly high.
In July, 286 civilians were killed and 1,388 injured, the highest number since May 2022 and exceeding the statistics for June 2025. The HRMMU confirmed civilian casualties in 18 of the country's 24 regions.
The HRMMU chief, Danielle Bell, noted that for the second month in a row, the number of civilian casualties in Ukraine has reached a three-year high.
“Only the first three months after the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine saw more killed and injured than in this past month,” she emphasized.
According to the UN, the use of long-range weapons, including rockets and barrage munitions, caused almost 40% of the casualties - 89 killed and 572 wounded.
For example, on July 31, rocket attacks on Kyiv and barrage munitions caused the largest number of civilian casualties in the capital since the beginning of the full-scale invasion: 31 people were killed and 171 were injured.
The increase in civilian casualties in July compared to June occurred mainly in government-controlled areas along the frontline, reflecting intense attempts by Russian forces to seize territory.
Short-range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were the second most significant cause of civilian deaths, accounting for 24% of casualties, or 64 killed and 337 wounded.
Casualties from such drones have increased, especially since July 2024, as documented in the HRMMU's June 2025 bulletin.
Aerial bombs dropped by Russian forces were the main cause of the sharp increase in civilian casualties: 276 people were affected (67 killed and 209 injured) in July 2025, compared to 114 (34 killed and 80 injured) in June.
For example, on July 28, a penal colony in Bilenke village, Zaporizhzhia region, was hit by an aerial bomb, killing 16 inmates and injuring at least 43, all men. On July 31, a bomb hit a residential building in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, killing at least five civilians.
Russia's strike on Kyiv
On the night of July 31, Russians launched a combined attack on Ukraine. During this attack, Kyiv was the main target. Throughout the night, the city was massively attacked by drones, and in the early morning, the Russians launched missiles in the direction of the capital.
A missile hit a residential building in the Sviatoshynskyi district, completely destroying one entrance.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said that the floors literally collapsed as a result of the strike, leaving most people no chance of survival.
31 people were killed and more than a hundred others were injured in the attack that night and morning.
Read more about the consequences of Russia's attack on Kyiv in RBC-Ukraine's report.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine held an extraordinary meeting after the massive attack on Kyiv to simplify the procedures for housing restoration.