Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena mourn civilians killed near Kiev on March 31, 2026.Image: keystone
June 12, 2026, 10:18 p.mJune 12, 2026, 10:18 p.m
In May, the United Nations recorded a record high number of injured and killed civilians in Russia-attacked Ukraine in a month since April 2022. At least 274 people were killed and another 1,763 injured in May, according to a report from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. This corresponds to an increase of 93 percent compared to May 2025, where 191 deaths and 865 injuries were registered.
Attacks with rockets and drones account for 45 percent of the victims, mostly in cities far from the front such as Kiev and Dnipro. Short-range drones were the main cause of civilian casualties near the front. Never since the beginning of the war have so many people been killed (64) and injured (539) in one month as in May.
With Western help, Ukraine has been defending itself against a Russian war of aggression for more than four years. According to the United Nations, more than 16,000 civilians have been killed and more than 46,000 injured since the war began in February 2022. Due to the lack of access to the areas conquered by Russia, not all victims are recorded in the UN statistics. (sda/dpa)
Joko and Klass show everyday lives of civilians in the Ukraine war
Video: watson/nina bürge