UN Warns of Rising Toll in Ukraine Amid Attacks, Aid Gaps

A children’s playground in front of a heavily damaged residential building in Saltivka, Kharkiv. (file)

Russian aerial attacks continue to intensify across Ukraine, exacting a rising toll on civilians and infrastructure, senior UN officials told the Security Council on Friday, warning of mounting humanitarian needs amid faltering donor support.

“Nowhere is safe in Ukraine,” said Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe at the UN Department of Political Affairs.

Citing figures from the UN human rights office, OHCHR, he said civilian casualties reached a three-year high in June, with 6,754 civilians killed or injured in the first half of 2025 alone.

Russian forces have launched over 5,000 long-range munitions against Ukraine so far in July, including a record-breaking 728 drones in a single day. Major cities such as Kyiv and Odesa have been hit by swarms of missiles and drones.

Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya echoed those words, saying “there is no safe place left in Ukraine” as the use of explosive weapons in populated areas has left cities reeling.

A rehabilitation centre for persons with disabilities in Kharkiv, maternity wards, schools, and energy infrastructure have all come under fire in recent weeks.

The humanitarian impact is worsening sharply, she continued.

“Nearly 13 million people need assistance, but limited funding means we can reach only a fraction of them,” Ms. Msuya warned. As of now, only 34 per cent of the $2.6 billion required for this year’s humanitarian response has been received.

Ukraine’s displacement crisis also continues to grow. Over 3.7 million people remain displaced within the country, while nearly six million are refugees abroad. More than 26,000 people have newly registered at transit centres since April alone.

The senior UN officials also expressed concern over reported civilian casualties from Ukrainian drone strikes inside Russia, including in Belgorod, Kursk, and Moscow.

While the UN could not independently verify these incidents, Mr. Jenča reiterated that “international law clearly prohibits attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. We strongly condemn all such attacks wherever they occur.”

Attacks near Ukraine’s nuclear facilities have further alarmed the UN.

Earlier this month, drone strikes hit Enerhodar, where Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant staff live, and drones have been detected near other operating plants.

“Any nuclear incident must be avoided at all costs,” Mr. Jenča said.

While some diplomatic movement continues, including recent prisoner exchanges and talks in Istanbul, UN officials called for intensified political will towards a ceasefire.

“The heartbreaking and rising human toll of the past nearly three and a half years of war underscores the urgency of a complete, immediate and unconditional ceasefire,” Mr. Jenča said, “as the first step towards a just and lasting peace.”