On August 26, 2024, Dnipropetrovsk region was subjected to massive strikes. UN mission: the number of civilian casualties in Ukraine has increased sharply Peace and security
As a result of attacks by the Russian armed forces since August 26, 64 civilians have been killed, 392 have been injured, and significant damage has been caused to civilian property and infrastructure in the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government. This was reported by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in the country (HRMMU).
According to the Mission, there has been a sharp increase in civilian casualties over the summer. The HRMMU’s monthly report, published today, shows that 184 civilians were killed and 856 injured in August alone. This is the second highest monthly death toll in 2024 after July.
Casualties and Destruction
HRMMU Head Daniel Bell said that targeted attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure were again causing lengthy power outages. Recent attacks have also destroyed or damaged hospitals, schools, supermarkets and other civilian facilities.
According to the Mission, on 26 August, Russian armed forces carried out one of the largest coordinated air attacks on the territory of Ukraine since February 2022. It killed eight civilians, injured at least 23, and damaged at least twenty-five energy facilities in 15 regions of Ukraine.
Subsequent attacks across the country also resulted in numerous civilian casualties. For example, on 30 August, aerial bombs fell on four districts of Kharkiv, killing six civilians and injuring at least 44. On 1 September, several rockets were fired at Kharkiv, killing one medical worker and injuring at least 11 civilians. On September 4, seven civilians were killed and 62 were injured in shelling in Lviv, which was the first incident with civilian casualties in the city since February 2024.
Situation in the occupied territories and in the Russian Federation
While the vast majority of civilian casualties occurred in areas controlled by Ukraine, the HRMMU also recorded reports of casualties in areas occupied by the Russian Federation, as well as in Russia.
In particular, on 4 September, four civilians, including two children, were killed and seven others were injured in a shelling of a market in occupied Donetsk. According to local media, an attack on the city of Belgorod in the Russian Federation on 30 August killed five people and injured dozens more. The HRMMU has no access to confirm the data from Belgorod.
A Tragic Start to the School Year
“This week marked the start of a new school year for children across Ukraine. Seven-year-old Emilia was one of them,” John Marks, acting head of UNICEF in the country, said in a statement.
According to him, Emilia was killed early in the morning of September 4 along with her older sisters, 18-year-old Daria and 21-year-old Yarina, and their mother Evgeniya, as a result of shelling of an apartment building in Lviv. The family became one of many victims of the attack.
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“This tragic story reflects the reality for children and young people across Ukraine as shelling of populated areas continues,” Marks said.
Educational facilities in Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Kyiv, Lviv and Sumy were reportedly damaged during the first week of the new school year. Children’s education has been interrupted by the evacuation of areas closer to the front line.
Protecting Education
The UNICEF representative recalled that on September 9 the world marks the International Day to Protect Education from Attack. He called on the parties to protect educational institutions from attacks.
UNICEF continues to work with the Ukrainian government and partners across the country to help children continue their education and support their mental health, Marx added.
“Children in Ukraine have suffered enough. They must be protected from attacks. Like Emilia, they all just want to go to school, learn, have fun, and be children again,” he stressed.