Between 1 December 2024 and 31 May 2025, 968 civilians were killed and 4,807 were injured as a result of conflict violence in Ukraine. This is 37% more than in the same period last year, according to a new report by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission. Most of the casualties occurred in areas controlled by the Ukrainian government due to intense shelling by Russian forces attempting to seize new areas along the front line. The use of explosive devices with a wide blast radius in urban areas and the increased use of short-range combat drones had a significant impact. During this time, Russian troops directly shelled hospitals at least five times, sometimes using multiple shells.
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There has also been an increase in cases where unknown individuals have used social media to offer children in Ukraine money to carry out acts of sabotage against military and civilian targets, including arson and explosions. Some children have died while carrying out these tasks, while others have been detained and charged with serious crimes.
The rights of Ukrainian prisoners of war remain under threat. The UN Monitoring Mission has recorded compelling evidence that Russian troops have killed at least 35 captured Ukrainian soldiers in recent months, confirming the increasing number of such cases since August 2024. There have been repeated reports of torture, ill-treatment, including sexual violence, and appalling conditions of detention in Russian-controlled areas. Similar violations have been reported by former civilian detainees.
In the territories temporarily occupied by Russia, pressure on local residents to accept Russian citizenship or leave has intensified, while new laws restrict access to pensions and medical care for those who do not have Russian citizenship or permanent residence. Administrative fines are imposed for displays of Ukrainian cultural identity or criticism of the occupying authorities. The process of forcible seizure of private property, mainly from internally displaced persons, has also accelerated, contrary to international humanitarian law.
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