GENEVA, 20 October 2026 — The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has reported a sharp increase in civilian casualties, documenting at least 328 people killed and 2,105 injured during September 2026.
According to the mission’s latest monthly update, the September total was 85 per cent higher than in September 2025. It was the highest number of civilian casualties recorded for September since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.
From January through September 2026, the mission verified 2,570 civilians killed and 15,211 injured. The combined total was 59 per cent higher than during the same period in 2025 and more than twice the equivalent figure for 2024.
Long-range weapons, including missiles and drones, caused 53 per cent of the casualties recorded in September. Short-range drones accounted for a further 23 per cent, illustrating the continuing danger posed by attacks far from the front line as well as near it.
Civilian deaths and injuries were documented in 22 regions and Kyiv city. The capital recorded 32 people killed and 340 injured, with casualties reported on 22 of the month’s 30 days.
The mission also reported renewed large-scale coordinated attacks affecting electricity and heating infrastructure. Damage to generation, distribution and transmission facilities caused emergency power outages, raising additional concerns as colder weather approaches.
The UN stresses that verified figures reflect cases it could independently confirm and that the actual toll may be higher. Attacks affecting civilians and civilian infrastructure raise serious concerns under international humanitarian law, which requires parties to distinguish between civilians and combatants and to take precautions to protect civilian life.
Reference: Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict — September 2026, published 16 October 2026: https://ukraine.un.org/en/324561-protection-civilians-armed-conflict—september-2026. Image credit: Jade Koroliuk / Unsplash; illustrative image.