UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk (center) addresses the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Human Rights Council: The UN High Commissioner provided an update on Ukraine Human rights
The situation of civilians in Ukraine is becoming increasingly unbearable. UN Chief Human Rights Defender Volker Türk warned about this while speaking at an intersessional meeting of the Human Rights Council. He presented data from a recent report by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) for the period from June 1 to November 30, 2025.
“Almost four years after the start of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, the situation of the civilian population of Ukraine has become even more intolerable,” Turk said. scale of the work done: over four years, OHCHR staff carried out more than 1,150 missions in the affected areas of Ukraine and conducted more than 11,100 interviews about alleged violations of international rights.
Increasing number of victims
The number of civilian casualties so far this year is 24 percent higher than the same period last year, according to the UN. “This is largely due to the fact that the armed forces of the Russian Federation have increased the use of long-range missiles and drones in front-line and urban areas,” Turk noted. – This escalation – an endless nightmare for the people of Ukraine.”
The High Commissioner added that strikes are being carried out throughout the country, including the western regions. As an example, he cited the attack on November 19, 2025, when about 500 drones and missiles were fired at Ukraine. “A cruise missile hit a residential building in Ternopil and a drone caused a fire in another building, killing at least 38 civilians and injuring 99, with some people still missing,” he said, calling the strike the deadliest in western Ukraine since war.
“The Russian Federation reports that 146 civilians were killed and more than 1,150 were injured in the country during the reporting period, but we were unable to confirm these figures,” the UN spokesman added.
Strikes in front-line areas
Türk also drew attention to the situation in the front-line areas of Ukraine, where more than 60 percent of the victims were recorded this year. Moreover, almost half of the dead were elderly people.
“Russian forces’ use of short-range drones with first-person cameras causes significant harm to civilians,” he said. Such attacks killed approximately 300 civilians during the reporting period, including people riding bicycles, cars and public transport. The fourth winter of the war: Ukraine is preparing for another test
In addition, according to OHCHR, in October and November, the Russian Federation carried out eight large-scale coordinated attacks which caused long-term emergencies power outages in a number of regions and planned power outages in most regions for up to 18 hours a day.
Position of prisoners of war
Separately, the High Commissioner emphasized the plight of prisoners of war and detained civilians. “Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Office has documented the extrajudicial executions of 96 Ukrainian prisoners of war and persons incapacitated,” he said. According to him, since mid-November there has been an increase in the number of reports of executions of Ukrainian military personnel after being captured. “We have verified reports of the killing of 14 Ukrainian prisoners of war after being captured by Russian forces and are looking into 10 other cases,” Turk said. three more incidents.” At the same time, the High Commissioner emphasized that the UN continues to document “systematic and widespread torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war.” According to him, “those responsible for all violations of human rights and international humanitarian law must be brought to justice.”
“I can’t even imagine how exhausted the people of Ukraine are,” the Supreme Commander said. Commissioner. – They need the guns to shut up. They want a human rights peace – in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, international law and General Assembly resolutions.”