Since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, at least 12,881 civilians have been killed in Ukraine, including 681 children and minors, according to the United Nations.
Additionally, more than 30,500 civilians have been injured during this period. Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, revealed these figures during a meeting of the UN Security Council on Wednesday.
Msuya stated, “According to UN monitoring, since the war began on February 24, 2022, a total of 12,881 civilians have been killed, including 681 children and minors. Moreover, over 30,500 Ukrainians have been injured. However, we believe the actual numbers could be even higher.”
She further noted that around 1.5 million people in the four Ukrainian provinces currently under Russian control urgently need humanitarian assistance. However, restrictions are preventing UN relief supplies from reaching these areas.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict began after prolonged tensions over Ukraine’s efforts to join NATO and Russia’s demand for recognition of Crimea as Russian territory. On President Vladimir Putin’s orders, Russian forces launched a military operation in Ukraine in February 2022.
Over the past three years, Russia has occupied the Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. In September 2022, Moscow officially recognized these regions as part of Russian territory. That same month, Ukraine formally applied for NATO membership, but the alliance clarified that Ukraine cannot be granted membership until the war ends.
While several international efforts were made under the leadership of former U.S. President Joe Biden to achieve a ceasefire and a diplomatic solution, all initiatives failed. After Donald Trump took office as U.S. President on January 20, he announced that ending the Russia-Ukraine war would be a top priority.
Following this, a meeting was held this week in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Russian and Ukrainian representatives, with U.S. mediation, pledged to refrain from attacking each other’s energy infrastructure and targets in the Black Sea.
Welcoming this development, Joyce Msuya said, “We hope that soon all violence in Ukraine will come to an end and peace will be restored, as civilians are increasingly facing threats to their lives and livelihoods. Since March 1, not a single day has passed without civilian casualties.”