**Ukraine Conflict: 12,340 Civilians Killed Since Russian Invasion**
The United Nations has recorded over 12,340 civilian deaths in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. This information was shared by Under-Secretary-General Izumi Nakamitsu during a recent U.N. Security Council meeting.
**Russian Threats Escalate**
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been making increasingly aggressive threats against Ukrainian cities, including the possibility of launching an Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile against Kyiv. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported that between February 24, 2022 and November 30, 2024, over 12,340 civilians were killed and more than 27,836 were wounded.
**Aerial Bombs Cause Most Casulties**
The U.N. found that aerial bombs and long-range weapons caused a greater number of casualties in 2024 compared to the previous year. Aerial bombs alone killed 341 civilians and wounded 1,803 people between January 1 and November 30, which is a threefold increase in deaths and sixfold increase in injuries from 2023.
**Russian Attacks Intensify**
Russia’s attacks on densely populated Ukrainian cities have intensified over the past two months. Drone strikes surged to record levels and Russia dropped at least 100 guided bombs per day nearly every day between November 1-20. The repeated attacks against residential neighborhoods in large cities, including Kharkiv, Odesa, and Sumy, led to high numbers of killed and injured victims.
**Russia Launches Missile Attack**
On November 21, Russia launched an Oreshnik missile against the city of Dnipro, supposedly as a response to the U.S. and the U.K. lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s long-range strikes inside Russia. Putin has since used threats of Oreshnik strikes to intimidate Ukraine and scare off Western support for Kyiv.
**U.N. Expresses Grave Concerns**
Nakamitsu said that Russia’s escalating attacks are a cause for “grave concerns.” The U.N. continues to monitor the situation in Ukraine and provide humanitarian aid to those affected by the conflict.