Russia’s brutal offensive on Ukraine has resulted in at least 1,207 civilian casualties, according to the United Nations.
The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said at least 406 people had been killed and another 801 injured in the fighting between the start of the war and Sunday. However, it cautioned the actual civilian casualty toll is likely much higher.
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“Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and missile and airstrikes,” the agency said. “OHCHR believes that the real figures are considerably higher, especially in government-controlled territory and especially in recent days.”
The bulk of the reported casualties in Ukraine occurred in the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk regions and in key cities such as Kyiv, Odesa, and Kherson that have been subject to intense fighting. OHCHR noted that escalating violence in certain regions has delayed reports and that a slew of reports is “still pending corroboration.”
Russia’s self-proclaimed efforts to “liberate” Ukraine have taken a massive toll on the country, plunging it into a humanitarian crisis. U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said the war has resulted in over 1.5 million refugees from Ukraine fleeing to neighboring countries. He described the situation as “the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.”
In addition to civilian casualties, the conflict has killed thousands of soldiers on both sides. Ministry of Defense of Ukraine claims over 11,000 Russian troops have died in the conflict so far. The agency did not include the number of Ukrainian soldier casualties. Warring nations have incentives to exaggerate the casualty numbers.
Russia has largely kept mum on its death toll estimates. Last Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed 498 Russian troops died and 1,597 were injured in the conflict, NPR reported. The ministry also estimated 2,870 Ukrainian troops were killed and about 3,700 were injured, according to the outlet.
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A third round of talks between Ukraine and Russia is expected to take place Monday. Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to continue fighting until Ukraine caves to its demands. These conditions include Ukraine pledging not to join “blocs” such as the European Union and NATO, recognizing Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, and recognizing the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk regions as independent. Last week, Ukraine applied for fast-track EU membership.
