Over 15,000 civilians became victims of war in Ukraine during first eight months of 2026, - UN
As a result of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, more than 15,000 civilians were killed or wounded during the first eight months of 2026.
This was stated by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk during a speech at a session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, according to Censor.NET.
Victims of Russian aggression
"The war in Ukraine is a human rights disaster that is growing and intensifying with each passing week and threatens to bring even greater calamity to the entire region," Türk said.
The High Commissioner emphasized that his Office had documented the deaths and injuries of 15,280 civilians in Ukraine during the first eight months of 2026. On average, this amounts to more than 400 people per week, which is 55% more than during the same period in 2025.
He noted that the front line has remained virtually unchanged. At the same time, Russian occupiers continue to launch attacks on residential buildings, schools, medical facilities, railways, and stores.
The Drone War
Turk noted that people throughout Ukraine live in constant fear. In the frontline areas of the Donetsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia regions, Russia’s use of guided aerial bombs resulted in the deaths and injuries of nearly 2,500 civilians during the first eight months of the year, which is 62% more than during the same period last year.
"Ukraine is a testing ground for waging war with drones," he emphasized, calling for urgent international action to address the consequences of the mass loss of life caused by these weapons around the world.
