The United Nations reports a significant increase in civilian harm in Ukraine during the first half of 2026. France 24 and the Kyiv Post, citing UN monitoring, say the number of civilians killed or wounded rises markedly as fighting continues into its fifth year. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reports that civilian casualties increase by 37% in the first six months of the year compared with the previous period, with monitors recording 1,396 civilians killed and 7,978 injured.
Both outlets link the rise to intensified long-range strike activity by both sides. They say Moscow and Kyiv increase attacks that target infrastructure and that a wider range of weapons is used, including long-range ballistic missiles, drones, glide bombs, and FPV drones. The reported figures cover civilians killed and injured across the period and reflect the UN’s documentation of harm attributed to attacks amid continued hostilities. Neither outlet presents these numbers as comprehensive of all incidents; they reflect the UN monitoring mission’s documented cases and its assessment of the overall trend.
