Russian Forces Intensify Bombardment of Ukrainian City Centers, UN Reports June Civilian Casualties Hit Monthly Record High

(Central News Agency, Kyiv, 14th – comprehensive international report) The United Nations (UN) announced today that 293 civilians were killed and 1,990 injured in Ukraine in June alone, as Russia continues its intensified long-range missile attacks. The combined death and injury toll marks the highest monthly figure since April 2022.

According to AFP, Russian forces have escalated their bombardment of densely populated urban areas in recent months, particularly targeting Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, amid Ukraine’s growing shortage of air defense missiles.

The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine stated: 'In June 2026, at least 293 civilians were killed and 1,990 injured in Ukraine.'

The June casualty count is the highest since April 2022, which was the second month of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The Russia-Ukraine war has now lasted for four and a half years.

The UN explained that the rise in civilian casualties is primarily due to Russia’s long-range attacks, with affected areas mainly being city centers far from the front lines.

UN statistics show that 1,396 civilians have been killed in Ukraine during the first half of 2026, a 37% increase compared to the same period last year and more than double the figure from the first half of 2024.

The report also notes that Russia has reported a continuous rise in civilian casualties within its own territory, with 250 civilian deaths recorded in the first half of 2026, a 121% year-on-year increase.

According to UN records, since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a total of 16,431 civilians have been killed in Ukraine, including 803 children.

However, the UN warns that the actual death toll is likely far higher, as intense fighting occurred in areas now under Russian control—such as Mariupol and Lysychansk—during the early stages of the war, making casualty verification impossible. Thousands are believed to have died in these regions.

While the frontline situation in Ukraine has appeared relatively stable in recent months, Ukraine’s air defense missile stockpiles have been depleted, partly due to the ongoing conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran, leaving Ukrainian cities increasingly vulnerable to large-scale Russian air raids.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging the United States and European allies to help fill the air defense gap.

Peace negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war are currently at a complete standstill. (Intern translator: Huang Yu-Han / Editor: Chang Ming-Hsuan) 1150715

Stand with facts. Your support is a force in defending press freedom.

Download the CNA 'First News' app to stay updated with real-time news.

Text, images, and videos on this website are prohibited from unauthorized reproduction, public broadcast, transmission, or use without permission.