© OCHA/V. Andrievskaya UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine Matthias Schmale visits the Kyiv area affected by shelling. Photo from the archive The UN condemned a new wave of Russian strikes on Ukraine Peace and Security
UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine Matthias Schmale condemned another massive attack by Russian armed forces on Kyiv, which occurred just a few days after a large-scale attack on the capital. As a result of the shelling, civilians were killed and injured.
Shmale noted that over the weekend the Sumy region also came under fire, where several civilians were killed and dozens more were injured. Strikes were also carried out in Dnepropetrovsk, Kherson, Kyiv, Zaporozhye and other regions, which led to new civilian casualties, destruction of residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, as well as disruption of access to basic services.
“It is unbearable to see the scale of human suffering: people mourning their loved ones, and those waiting while rescuers clear the rubble to learn about the fate of their loved ones,” said the Humanitarian Coordinator, who visited the areas that suffered the most severe destruction. International humanitarian law obliges parties to a conflict to take all possible measures to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. “Attacks that destroy homes and take the lives of innocent people cannot be considered acceptable,” Schmale emphasized.
Consequences of attacks for civilians
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission to Ukraine continues to monitor the consequences of the massive strike carried out by the Russian Federation last night in Kyiv and the Kyiv region.
According to Ukrainian authorities, the attack killed at least 14 civilians and injured more than 80. The attack was part of an ongoing series of attacks using long-range missiles and drones into densely populated civilian areas far from the front line.
Last night’s attack by the Russian Federation once again demonstrates the continued use of long-range missiles and drones in populated areas where they pose a serious threat to peaceful population
“Last night’s attack by the Russian Federation once again demonstrates the continued use of long-range missiles and drones in populated areas, where they pose a serious threat to civilians,” said Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. “The continued use of such weapons, along with ongoing short-range drone attacks, is one of the key reasons for the increase in civilian casualties that the UN Human Rights Office has recorded this year.” Search and rescue efforts continue at several impact sites. The death toll could rise as people are believed to still be trapped under the rubble.
Elsewhere in the Kyiv region, three civilians were reported killed and 26 others were injured, including two children. Residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were damaged in several communities.
In the first six months of 2026, the number of confirmed civilian casualties has already significantly exceeded the figures for the same period in 2025, which, in turn, was a significant increase compared to 2024, reports the UN Human Rights Mission person.
The first days of July, as noted by UN human rights activists, have already been marked by an extremely high number of reports of civilian casualties – an average of about 170 dead and wounded civilians per day. The daily use of long-range weapons, including missiles, drones and guided bombs, in attacks on Kyiv, Zaporozhye, Dnepr and Sumy, as well as ongoing short-range drone attacks, including recent strikes on Kherson and occupied Tokmak in the Zaporozhye region, indicate a further increase in damage to civilians population.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission to Ukraine continues to monitor the aftermath of the attack, visiting affected areas, and working with authorities and medical facilities to verify civilian casualties and document damage to civilian objects. The Mission will post additional updates as new information becomes available.