UN says civilian casualties jump 37% in first half of 2026

Civilian casualties in the war between Russia and Ukraine rose sharply in the first six months of 2026, driven by intensified long-range strikes on cities and the growing use of drones near the front lines, the United Nations said Tuesday. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine documented 1,396 civilians killed and 7,978 injured in Ukraine during that period, a 37 percent increase from the same timeframe in 2025 and nearly double the toll from 2024.

Danielle Bell, the head of the monitoring mission, attributed the rising toll to two main factors: the increased use of long-range ballistic missiles and drones hitting densely populated urban areas far from the front, and the widespread deployment of short-range drones and glide bombs in combat zones. She noted that casualties from short-range drone attacks alone rose by 65 percent compared to the first half of last year. Bell said these drones, particularly first-person-view models operated with real-time video, are fundamentally altering civilian life in frontline communities, with residents reporting feeling tracked during ordinary daily activities.

The report also cited a dramatic increase in civilian casualties...