UNICEF Dozens of residential buildings in Kiev were damaged as a result of a large-scale Russian attack on May 23, 2026. Ukraine: Amid “dangerous escalation,” the UN’s top human rights activist called on the parties to return to negotiations Peace and Security
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Thursday warned against a further escalation of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine amid recent Russian threats to increase the intensity of strikes. He called on both sides to return to the negotiating table.
“I urge restraint. Renew negotiations and end the suffering,” he said.
Civilian casualties
The dangerous escalation of hostilities has already resulted in significant civilian casualties.
In the first four months of 2026, the number of Ukrainian civilians killed and wounded increased by 21 percent compared to the same period in 2025 (815 killed and 4,174 wounded in 2026 versus 682 killed and 3,453 wounded in 2025). The vast majority of casualties were recorded in territory controlled by the Ukrainian government.
Strikes on Kyiv and Starobelsk
In one of several large-scale strikes carried out by Russia in recent weeks, a multi-storey residential building in Kyiv was damaged on the night of May 13-14: 24 civilians were killed and dozens were injured.
“International humanitarian law requires parties to a conflict to take all possible precautions to avoid harm to civilians. These are not just wishes or recommendations, but mandatory requirements that entail legal liability for those responsible,” Turk emphasized.
As a result of a large-scale strike by the Ukrainian armed forces on May 21–22, an educational complex in occupied Starobilsk was damaged. According to Russian authorities, 21 people were killed and 44 were injured. The UN Human Rights Office has conducted a thorough analysis of open source information which indicates that educational institutions were operating at the time of the strike and that civilians, mostly students, were among those killed and injured. Among the dead were 18 women.
Dangerous Escalation
“As if these horrific casualty figures were not enough in themselves, after these strikes, Russian officials publicly threatened to intensify attacks on Kyiv,” the High Commissioner noted.
Strikes Ukrainian armed forces have also led to the death and injury of civilians within Russia itself.
“I deeply regret the recent incidents of civilian death and injury. I call on the Russian and Ukrainian authorities to conduct prompt, independent and effective investigations and to bring those responsible to justice. They must do everything possible to prevent such incidents from happening again,” the head of the UN Human Rights Office emphasized.