June deadliest month for Ukraine civilians since April 2022, UN reports

June marked the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since April 2022, with at least 293 people killed, the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reported. This brings the total civilian death toll for the year to nearly 1,400, a 37% increase compared to the same period last year and more than double the figure for the first half of 2024.

Daniel Bel, head of the HRMMU, stated that the rising civilian casualties are fueled by the intensified use of powerful weapons, particularly in densely populated urban areas. He noted that long-range missiles striking residential buildings in Dnipro, Odesa, and Kyiv have contributed to the higher death toll. The UN data indicates a 60% rise in civilian deaths from long-range weapons in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2023.

Near the front lines, drones have become a primary cause of civilian fatalities and have fundamentally altered the living conditions for those in proximity to the conflict. "Many describe feeling like they are being hunted by drones while going about their daily tasks, such as buying food, walking the dog, cycling, or doing yard work," a UN official observed.

Recent attacks underscore the ongoing danger. In the first half of July alone, at least 240 civilians were killed and 1,904 injured in Russian attacks, according to a CNN tally based on local Ukrainian authorities' figures. A July 2 attack on Kyiv resulted in at least 30 deaths, including a family of six.

“

Many describe feeling like they are being hunted by drones while going about their daily tasks, such as buying food, walking the dog, cycling, or doing yard work.