UN: May civilian casualties in Ukraine highest since April 2022
At least 274 civilians were killed and 1,763 injured in Ukraine in May – the highest monthly toll since the start of the full-scale war, according to the UN.
The United Nations has reported that May 2025 saw the highest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine in a single month since April 2022. At least 274 people were killed and 1,763 wounded, marking a 93% increase compared to May 2024, when 191 deaths and 865 injuries were recorded.
According to the UN, 45% of the casualties were caused by Russian missile and drone strikes, primarily targeting major cities far from the front line, such as Kyiv and Dnipro. Near the front lines, short-range drone attacks were the main cause of civilian harm. In May, drone strikes killed 64 and injured 539 civilians – the highest monthly toll from drones since the war began.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the UN has documented over 16,000 civilian deaths and more than 46,000 injuries. However, the organization cautions that the actual numbers are likely higher, as it does not have access to Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine.
