The situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate, with increasing risks to civilians, warned Nada Al-Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations.
Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, she emphasized that the primary cause of deaths and injuries has been short-range drone attacks, affecting both areas under Ukrainian government control and territories occupied by Russia.
According to UN data, by 2025 at least 580 civilians were killed and 3,000 injured in such attacks. However, in just the first two months of 2026, 107 civilians were killed and 430 injured, nearly doubling the casualty rate.
A staggering 95% of casualties were caused by short-range drones targeting government-controlled areas, Al-Nashif added.
The danger is also widespread in Russian-occupied frontline zones, particularly in the Oleshky district of the Kherson region, where residents report frequent drone strikes.
She also raised serious concerns about the systematic mistreatment of prisoners of war.
“More than 96% of Ukrainian prisoners of war we interviewed reported being subjected to torture and ill-treatment during their captivity,” Al-Nashif said, referring to the period since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
