Ukraine civilian deaths soar 70% in first 11 months of 2025

Ukraine has seen a dramatic rise in civilian casualties in the first 11 months of 2025, with deaths increasing by 70% compared to the same period in 2023.

The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission report notes that this figure is also up 26% compared to 2024, Caliber.Az reports, citing UNIAN.

In November alone, at least 226 civilians were killed and another 952 injured, with half of the fatalities caused by long-range missile strikes.

“Almost half of the victims were in frontline regions, where the main threats are short-range drones, artillery, and airstrikes,” Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said.

The Russia‑Ukraine war began with a full‑scale invasion on 24 February 2022, triggering widespread violence across much of Ukraine, including sustained missile, drone, and artillery strikes that have damaged civilian infrastructure and increased risks to non‑combatants. This offensive disrupted daily life, destroyed homes, health facilities, and schools, and contributed to one of the largest displacement crises in Europe since World War II.

United Nations human rights reporting throughout 2025 documented a consistent trend of elevated civilian harm across Ukraine compared with prior years, with frontline areas and major cities experiencing frequent attacks that caused deaths and injuries. 

Independent UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission bulletins from 2025 show that the pattern of civilian casualties has not only continued, but in many months reached the highest monthly counts since the full‑scale invasion began. 

By Jeyhun Aghazada