“During the first two months of this year, 60% of all civilian casualties were in frontline regions-and almost half of those killed were older persons,” said Nada Al-Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Speaking to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Al-Nashif identified short-range drones as the leading cause of death and injury in both Ukrainian government-controlled and Russian-occupied areas. In just two months, 107 civilians were killed and 430 injured-nearly doubling the casualty rate compared to all of 2025’s annual figures.
Ninety-five percent of these casualties occurred in Ukrainian-held territory. Residents in occupied zones like Oleshky district face frequent drone strikes and landmines, making evacuation nearly impossible. Food shortages and lack of heating compound the crisis.
Ukraine has lost over half its electricity-generating capacity, leading to blackouts up to 22 hours a day. Hundreds of thousands endured sub-zero temperatures without heat for weeks.
UNICEF reported children lost 79-88% of effective learning time in January and February due to infrastructure damage.
Al-Nashif also cited that over 96% of interviewed Ukrainian prisoners of war reported torture during Russian captivity since February 2022. She urged Russia to cease violations of international law and called on Ukraine to protect POWs and end discrimination against displaced civilians.
Ukraine’s envoy accused Russia of deliberately terrorizing civilians in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea. Russia dismissed the findings, accusing the UN of bias. Germany condemned Moscow’s intensified attacks, while China reiterated support for diplomatic resolution.