Ukraine's civilian death toll rose to 174 last month, the highest level in almost a year, amid increased missile and bomb attacks on population centers around Kharkiv, the U.N. human rights office announced on June 7.
“Over half of the casualties in May occurred in Kharkiv city and region where Russian armed forces launched a new ground offensive on May 10,” the statement reads. “The main reason for the high number of civilian casualties is the use of air-dropped bombs and missiles in populated areas such as communities near the frontline and Kharkiv city.”
Russian forces launched new offensive operations in the north of Kharkiv Oblast on May 10, exposing Kharkiv and a number of border settlements in the region to heavy attacks, particularly among civilian areas.
Ukraine saw a 31% increase in civilian deaths in the month of May and the highest number of civilian casualties since June 2023.
On May 23, Russian forces attacked a printing house in Kharkiv, killing seven people and injuring 21 others. Two days later, a Russian aerial attack destroyed a large home improvement shopping center, killing at least 19 people and injuring 54 others. Another nine civilians were killed after multiple missiles struck a residential area in the city of
According to the U.N. report, the vast majority of civilian casualties (92%) and damage to educational and health facilities (96%) during the month of May continued to occur in Ukrainian-controlled territory.
As of May 30, Russian forces continued to control a handful of settlements on two separate axes, one near the town of Vovchansk and the other towards the village of Lyptsi, where they have advanced a maximum of just 10 kilometers from the state border.
Francis Farrell
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