The war in Ukraine killed or injured 15,280 civilians during the first eight months of 2026, a 55% increase from the same period last year, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said.

Axar.az reports, citing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Turk said the figure averaged more than 400 civilian casualties every week. He said Russian attacks had continued to hit residential buildings, schools, medical facilities, railways and shops despite little movement along the front lines.

Nearly 2,500 civilians were killed or injured by Russian aerial glide bombs in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia regions during the first eight months of the year, 62% more than in the same period of 2025.

Turk also said his office had documented more than 1,000 cases of sexual violence against civilians and prisoners of war, with 89% attributed to Russian authorities and 11% to Ukraine.

“The war in Ukraine is a human rights catastrophe that is growing and intensifying by the week,” Turk said, calling for urgent steps toward a negotiated peace and accountability for violations.