Over 12,300 civilians killed since start of Ukraine war, says UN

More than 12,300 civilians have been killed in the Ukraine war since Russia invaded nearly three years ago, a UN official told a UN meeting on Jan 8, noting a spike in casualties due to the use of drones, long-range missiles and glide bombs.

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Russia, which is making territorial gains in Ukraine's east, has conducted regular attacks on faraway cities in recent months using such weapons. This contributed to a 30 per cent rise in civilian deaths to 574 in Ukraine between September and November 2024 compared with 2023, according to UN data.

In total, UN deputy human rights chief Nada Al-Nashif said, more than 12,300 civilians had been killed in Ukraine, including 650 children, although the UN has repeatedly said its tally is an undercount since it includes only deaths its teams have managed to verify.