Ukraine civilian death toll climbs as UN reports surge in long-range strikes

The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission reported that Russian forces carried out a large‑scale attack on the Kyiv region during the night of 4‑5 August, killing at least 17 civilians and wounding 55. The mission said the increased use of long‑range weapons against densely populated areas has driven a sharp rise in civilian casualties. Data for the first half of 2026 show 1,396 civilians killed and 7,978 injured in Ukraine – a 37 % increase over the same period in 2025 and a 114 % rise compared with the previous year. Recent air strikes have also hit Kramatorsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, damaging water supplies and humanitarian warehouses. UNICEF warned of a growing number of child deaths and injuries.

In parallel political developments, President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, prompting protests in Kyiv. Russian forces continue to advance, notably besieging the fortified city of Kostiantynivka. Ukrainian officials have claimed a series of attacks on Russian civilian targets, including the destruction of a historic museum panorama in Sevastopol. These actions are presented by Ukrainian authorities as retaliation and an effort to provoke further international response.