Russian shelling claimed the lives of 328 people in September — UN report
In September 2026, 328 civilians were killed in Ukraine, and another 2,105 people were wounded as a result of hostilities. According to the UN, the number of civilian deaths and injuries rose by 85% compared to September of last year. This is the highest figure for this month in more than four years of full-scale war.
In September 2026, Russian attacks led to a sharp increase in the number of civilian deaths and injuries in Ukraine. According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, at least 328 people were killed and another 2,105 were injured during the month. In total, there were 2,433 casualties.
By comparison, in September 2025, the UN recorded 249 deaths and 1,068 injuries. This means the total number of civilian casualties over the past year has increased by 85%. This is the highest figure for September since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Most people were affected by missiles and long-range drones
The main cause of civilian deaths and injuries in September was strikes by long-range weapons—missiles and drones. According to the UN, these accounted for 53% of all civilian casualties: 165 people were killed and 1,119 were injured.
Short-range drones were another significant source of danger. Their attacks killed 87 people and injured another 475. This represents 23% of the total number of civilian casualties for the month. These figures indicate that the danger to civilians persists not only during massive missile strikes on major cities. People also suffer from drone attacks carried out at shorter ranges.
Kyiv was one of the hardest-hit cities
Civilians were killed and wounded in 22 regions of Ukraine, as well as in Kyiv. The UN recorded the highest number of casualties in the capital: 32 dead and 340 wounded. Throughout September, civilian casualties in Kyiv were recorded on 22 out of 30 days. According to the UN, this occurred more frequently than in any other month since the start of the full-scale war.
Significant numbers of casualties were also recorded in other cities. In Kherson, 16 people were killed and another 202 were wounded. In Sumy, there were 11 fatalities and 131 wounded. In Zaporizhzhia, seven people were killed and 127 were wounded as a result of the attacks.
The number of casualties has been rising for several months now
The worsening situation is evident not only in the monthly statistics. According to the UN, from January through September 2026, 2,570 civilians were killed in Ukraine, and another 15,211 were injured. This is 59% more than during the same period in 2025. Compared to the first nine months of 2024, the number of civilian casualties has more than doubled.
The UN report also notes the resumption of large-scale, coordinated Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Specifically, on September 30, strikes damaged power generation, distribution, and transmission facilities in three regions and in Kyiv. This caused emergency power outages. The rise in the number of deaths and injuries is occurring amid intensified Russian attacks using missiles and drones. At the same time, the UN statistics cited reflect confirmed cases of civilian deaths and injuries and do not include all possible casualties that cannot be independently verified. This is stated in the UN report.
Power outages caused by Russian attacks were reported in Kyiv and seven regions.
As a result of a Russian attack on the night of October 14, all three of Kyiv’s municipal combined heat and power plants were hit, as well as critical energy infrastructure in the Kyiv region. The number of deaths and injuries in the capital has risen following strikes on residential areas.
In the Khmelnytskyi district, a gas station caught fire after debris from a Russian drone fell on it. Two people sustained minor injuries.
On the night of October 14, a fire broke out at an oil depot in Lutsk after it was struck by an enemy drone. The fire started around 2:00 a.m.
