Civilian casualties rose by 31% from January to September 2025 compared to the same timeframe in the previous year, as noted in HRMMU’s monthly report released on Thursday.
“High civilian casualties last month reflect this year’s alarming trend of intense violence in Ukraine, with virtually no day passing without civilian deaths or injuries, particularly in frontline areas,” stated HRMMU chief Danielle Bell.
Frontline Danger
Sixty-nine percent of September’s casualties occurred near the frontline, with notably high figures in the Donetsk and Kherson regions of eastern Ukraine. Nearly 30% of all casualties were due to short-range drone attacks.
In Donetsk on Thursday, a bomb hit near a postal service vehicle as seniors collected their pensions.
Twenty-one of those killed and 13 of those injured were over 60 years old. Older individuals often remain longer in their communities, according to HRMMU; at least 87 of them were killed last month.
Critical Infrastructure at Stake
There was a 15% increase in attacks on energy infrastructure in September compared to August 2025. Thirty-one attacks were recorded.
The UN aid coordination office (OCHA) reported weekend attacks left approximately 70,000 people without electricity and disrupted gas and water supplies.
Humanitarians warned that with winter approaching, strikes on critical infrastructure will exacerbate civilian needs.
HRMMU reported that on Thursday night, another large-scale attack on energy facilities led to power outages in several regions, including the capital, and reportedly killed a seven-year-old boy.
“We used to feel secure at home, but not anymore. Drones buzz constantly, day and night. We can’t sleep. We are exhausted,” said a man evacuated from Kostiantynivka, a city in eastern Ukraine.
Since February 2022, when Russia initiated its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, HRMMU has documented at least 14,383 civilian deaths, including 738 children, and 37,541 injuries, including 2,318 children.
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