More civilians were killed or injured in Ukraine in July 2026 than in any other month since March 2022, marking a new peak in the rise in civilian harm this year, according to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU).
HRMMU verified that at least 437 civilians were killed and 2,610 injured in Ukraine in July, an increase of 30% compared with the previous month and 70% compared with July 2025. The number of civilians killed was the highest recorded since May 2022, while the number of children killed and injured was the highest since April 2022. The actual figures are likely higher, as HRMMU continues to verify reports.
“Every month this year, the number of civilians killed and injured has increased. In July, this trend intensified sharply. Civilian casualties in July were the highest we have documented in a single month since March 2022,” said HRMMU head Danielle Bell.
During the first seven months of 2026, HRMMU verified 12,477 civilian casualties from violence related to Russia’s war against Ukraine, including 1,839 killed and 10,638 injured. This was 44% higher than during the same period in 2025, when 1,434 civilians were killed and 7,216 injured, and more than twice the level recorded during the same period in 2024, when 1,188 were killed and 4,560 injured.
Reported civilian casualties in the Russian Federation also increased in July. Russian authorities reported that 79 civilians were killed and 601 injured during the month. HRMMU was unable to independently verify these figures according to its methodology due to a lack of access and limited information.
Kyiv was among the Ukrainian cities hardest hit in July, with at least 54 civilians killed and 202 injured, as Russian forces significantly increased their use of ballistic and cruise missiles. Russia launched at least 429 missiles in July, more than twice the number launched in June, with many targeting Kyiv.
The deadliest attack took place on July 2, when at least 30 civilians were killed and 104 injured after Russian forces launched 74 missiles and nearly 500 long-range drones, primarily targeting Kyiv.
Long-range weapons, including missiles and drones, remained the leading cause of civilian casualties in July, accounting for 38% of the total, with 183 people killed and 967 injured.
Civilian casualties from aerial bombs increased by 143% compared with June 2026, rising from 45 killed and 308 injured to 105 killed and 753 injured. Glide bombs became the second leading cause of civilian casualties.
Short-range drones operating near the frontline accounted for 27% of all civilian casualties, killing 111 people and injuring 710.
The UN noted that while several large-scale attacks with high casualty numbers contributed to the sharp increase in July, daily attacks causing smaller numbers of casualties across different regions also played a significant role.
“Civilians are facing increased risks due to the more intensive use of missiles and drones in urban centers, glide bombs in towns closer to the frontline, and short-range drones. Taken together, these attacks are driving up civilian casualties across different regions of Ukraine,” Bell said.
Since February 24, 2022, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has verified the deaths of at least 16,874 civilians, including 820 children, and injuries to 51,273 civilians, including 3,126 children.
