GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

The conflict in Ukraine has entered an even more dangerous and deadly stage for civilians, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned on Friday, citing a relentless bombardment of civilian targets that has driven casualty numbers to alarming new highs. In a forceful address to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Türk pleaded for an end to the hostilities, stating the human toll is “staggering and heartbreaking.”

The Deadly Stage: UN Chief’s Stark Warning

The United Nations’ human rights chief, Volker Türk, delivered a sobering update to the Human Rights Council, marking three and a half years since Russia’s full-scale invasion. He underscored a terrifying reality for Ukrainian citizens caught in the crossfire. The UN’s findings reveal that relentless, large-scale attacks—often utilizing drones and massive airstrikes—are deliberately targeting vital civilian infrastructure and populated areas.

“The war in Ukraine has entered an even more dangerous and deadly stage for civilians, under relentless bombardment of their schools, hospitals, and shelters,” Türk stated. This new phase is characterized by a significant escalation in violence, pushing the total number of documented civilian casualties—killed and injured—past the 50,000 mark since February 2022. Tragically, this figure includes more than 3,000 children.

The latest statistics provided by the High Commissioner’s Office (OHCHR) paint a grim picture of the conflict’s intensity in 2025. In the first eight months of the year alone, total civilian casualties in Ukraine surged by an estimated 40 percent compared to the previous year. The month of July 2025 documented the highest number of civilian casualties in over three years, with 286 killed and 1,388 injured, a grim statistic only surpassed by the initial three months of the full-scale invasion.

Civilian Life Under Siege

The intensification of the conflict is not limited to the frontlines; it is systematically dismantling the fabric of civilian life across the country. Türk highlighted the pervasive and deliberate nature of the attacks:

 * Infrastructure Destruction: Critical infrastructure, including power stations, gas facilities, bridges, and railways, continues to be hit. This calculated destruction severely disrupts essential services, plunging communities into deeper hardship, a situation that the upcoming winter months will only exacerbate.

 * Frontline Devastation: Intense attacks along the frontline have seen “nearly all the housing” in some communities damaged or entirely destroyed, leaving residents displaced and vulnerable.

 * Weaponry Focus: The Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) detailed that long-range weapons, such as missiles and loitering munitions, accounted for nearly 40 per cent of the casualties in July 2025. Furthermore, the use of short-range drones has substantially increased, accounting for a quarter of civilian casualties during the same period.

Calls for Accountability and Peace

Beyond the immediate crisis of escalating bombardment, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights addressed systemic violations of international law, particularly concerning occupied territories. He noted that Russian authorities continue to carry out widespread and systematic violations against Ukrainian civilians in occupied regions in the south and east.

A recent report issued by the OHCHR laid bare the scale of violations against civilian detainees. It documented numerous cases where individuals in occupied territories have been arbitrarily seized, then held for weeks, months, or even years, highlighting severe abuses, including executions, torture, and sexual violence.

Türk made a unified appeal to all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international law, urging Russia to halt all abuses against civilian prisoners immediately. He also called on Ukraine to respect the laws of war, stating his office continues to document grave alleged violations by all parties.

He closed his address with an urgent call for de-escalation: “This war needs to end. The human toll on civilians, and on soldiers and their families, is staggering and heartbreaking.” He stressed that recent reports of Russian military drones being sighted in neighboring countries underscore the growing risk of the war escalating beyond Ukraine’s borders. “Every day, as the violence continues, the risks of escalation and expansion grow,” he warned.

All future peace negotiations and initiatives, Türk concluded, must place the protection of civilians and the upholding of dignity and rights at the absolute forefront of their agenda.

Headline Points

 * Deadly Escalation: UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk warns the Ukraine war has entered a “more dangerous and deadly stage for civilians” due to relentless bombardment.

 * Record Casualties: Civilian casualties increased by 40% in the first eight months of 2025 compared to 2024, with July 2025 registering the highest monthly death toll in over three years.

 * Infrastructure Targeted: Continued attacks are destroying critical infrastructure, including power stations and railways, worsening conditions for vulnerable populations as winter approaches.

 * Over 50,000 Civilian Victims: The total number of UN-documented civilian casualties (killed and injured) since February 2022 has surpassed 50,000, including more than 3,000 children.

 * War Crimes Alleged: The High Commissioner cited continued, systematic violations against civilians in occupied territories, including arbitrary detention, torture, and sexual violence.

 * Call for Peace and Accountability: Türk urged an immediate end to the war, a cessation of all abuses against detainees, and prompt investigations into all alleged violations by all parties to the conflict.