Russian army deliberately targeting civilians, - UN

The UN accuses Russia of crimes against humanity

Russia's constant drone attacks are forcing civilians to flee from the territories controlled by Ukraine, which qualifies as a crime against humanity.

According to Censor.NET, citing DW, this is stated in an investigation conducted by an independent UN commission and published on Monday, 27 October.

It is noted that Russia has committed war crimes by deporting and forcibly displacing civilians from the occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia region, AFP reports.

"The Russian authorities systematically coordinated actions aimed at expelling Ukrainian civilians from their places of residence through drone attacks, as well as deportations and transfers," the report says.

Back in May, the commission concluded that targeted drone strikes against civilians in the Kherson region constituted forced displacement of the population. Now the conclusions have been expanded: the area covered has increased from 100 to 300 kilometres and includes parts of Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk and Mykolaiv regions.

The document states that the drone strikes are part of a concerted policy aimed at expelling civilians from frontline areas. Russian troops, according to the investigation, deliberately attack civilian objects, rescuers, ambulances and firefighters, even though they are clearly marked.

Increasing number of civilian casualties

According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, in September 2025, at least 214 civilians were killed and 916 others were injured.

Around 69 per cent of the victims were killed in areas near the frontline, mainly in Donetsk and Kherson regions. FPV drone attacks remain the main cause of death.

The UN emphasises that the total number of civilian casualties in January-September 2025 is 31% higher than last year, indicating a further escalation of violence against the population.

Russian strikes against civilians in October

In October, Russia increased the number of air strikes, missile attacks and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks on residential areas, childcare facilities, medical and other civilian objects.

Most of the attacks targeted energy facilities and residential areas, which increases the impact not only on deaths and injuries but also on the systemic vulnerability of civilian life.

General results for October 2025:

Number of attacks: more than 450 episodes of various scales (drones, missiles, artillery).
Civilian casualties: approximately 60-70 people, more than 300 wounded (according to the summary data of the RMA, the Ministry of Defence and the media).
Main targets: residential buildings, schools, kindergartens, hospitals, and public infrastructure.
Consequences: systemic power outages, destruction of residential areas, psychological pressure on the civilian population.
Assessment: Russia's actions bear all the hallmarks of targeted attacks on civilian objects in violation of international humanitarian law.