UN deputy secretary-general: at least 16,874 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since the start of the war

UN Deputy Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo presented updated statistics on civilian casualties in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war at a UN Security Council meeting.

According to the UN, at least 16,874 civilians have been killed since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including 820 children. A further 51,273 civilians have been wounded, of whom 3,126 are minors.

DiCarlo warned that the figures cited do not reflect the full scale of the tragedy: the organization cannot independently verify information in areas where fighting is ongoing or which are under Russian control.

The summer months showed a new rise in casualties. In July, Russian attacks killed at least 437 Ukrainian civilians, including 17 children, and wounded a further 2,610 people. According to the UN, this figure was the highest for a single month since May 2022.

The attacks did not stop in August. According to DiCarlo, nine people were killed during strikes on Kyiv on August 1, 18 on August 5, and 17 on August 20. A strike on the largest shopping center in Kryvyi Rih on August 21 killed 16 people and wounded at least 140, including 23 children.

DiCarlo also cited data on civilian casualties in Russia, referring to statistics from Russian authorities: in the first seven months of the year, 329 civilians were killed and 2,197 wounded, which is 119% more than in the same period last year.

The UN called for an end to strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure, as well as a full, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire.

“The path to peace will not be easy, but the alternative — a continuing cycle of death, destruction, suffering, and ever-greater escalation — is unacceptable,” the UN deputy secretary-general said.