The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged both sides to “resume negotiations and end the suffering” of civilians.
According to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), a dangerous escalation of hostilities has led to a high number of civilian casualties.
During the first four months of 2026, the number of civilians killed or injured in Ukraine increased by more than 20% compared to the same period in 2025 (815 dead and 4,174 injured in 2026, compared to 682 dead and 3,453 injured in 2025). The vast majority of victims were in territory controlled by Ukraine.
24 civilians killed in Kyiv on May 13 and 14
In one of several large-scale attacks launched by Russia in recent weeks and resulting in a considerable number of civilian casualties, a multi-story residential building in Kyiva was hit on May 13 and 14, killing 24 civilians and injuring dozens. others.Â
The UN Human Rights Office also condemned Russia’s attacks on humanitarian personnel and equipment in recent weeks.
“International humanitarian law requires that parties to a conflict take all possible precautions to avoid causing harm to civilians – these are not just suggestions or recommendations, but binding obligations entailing legal responsibility for the parties involved,†said High Commissioner Volker Türk.
Deaths among the civilian population in Russia too
During a large-scale attack carried out by the Ukrainian armed forces, a school complex located in Starobilsk, in occupied territory, was hit on May 21 and 22. According to Russian authorities, 21 people were killed and 44 others injured.
OHCHR has conducted a thorough review of publicly available information which indicates that schools were in operation at the time of the attack and that civilians – many of them students – were killed or injured. Of those killed, 18 were women.Â
“And as if all these casualty figures were not already frightening enough in themselves, following these attacks, Russian officials publicly threatened to intensify attacks throughout the Kiev region,” lamented the High Commissioner.
Attacks carried out by Ukrainian armed forces have also caused deaths and injuries among the civilian population in Russia itself.
“I call on the Russian and Ukrainian authorities to carry out rapid, independent and effective investigations and to bring those responsible to justice,” concluded Mr. Türk.
A ruined municipal building in Zaporizhzhya, southeastern Ukraine.
Inquietudes autour de la sûreté nucléaire
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Thursday expressed new concerns about nuclear safety in Ukraine after a communications blackout lasting nearly 12 hours on Wednesday at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), the longest such outage since the start of the war.
According to the IAEA, the plant was deprived of internet connection and landline telephone lines, at a time when attacks were reported in the town of Enerhodar, where most of the site’s employees live. The agency’s Director General, Rafael Grossi, called the incident “very concerning” for nuclear safety and security.
The IAEA also indicated that a fire broke out on May 22 in an electrical substation after a military attack, leading to the disconnection of a power line linked to the nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. Furthermore, 20 drones have been detected in recent days in the monitoring zone of the Chernobyl site.
