The UN has called on Ukraine and Russia to de-escalate tensions amid a rising death toll among civilians

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has warned of a high risk of further escalation of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, coming amid renewed threats from Moscow to intensify its attacks. He called on both sides of the conflict to exercise the utmost restraint, immediately return to the negotiating table, and put an end to the suffering of the people.

This was reported by the UN press service.

According to the UN Monitoring Mission, the first four months of 2026 saw a sharp rise in civilian casualties—this figure was 21% higher than during the same period last year. Specifically, in 2026, 815 civilian deaths and 4,174 civilian injuries were confirmed (compared to 682 deaths and 3,453 injuries in 2025). Türk emphasized that the vast majority of casualties occurred in areas controlled by the Ukrainian government. He also separately condemned the massive Russian attacks on humanitarian warehouses and international personnel, which have intensified in recent weeks.

The High Commissioner also mentioned the incident in occupied Starobilsk, Luhansk Oblast, where, according to Russian reports, 21 people were killed and another 44 were wounded as a result of a strike on an educational complex. Türk called on Kyiv and Moscow to conduct prompt, independent, and effective investigations into all cases of civilian deaths to hold those responsible to account and prevent similar tragedies in the future.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern over official statements by the Russian Federation regarding plans to strike Ukrainian defense facilities and decision-making centers in Kyiv. 

Russia’s threats of new strikes on Kyiv are a reaction to setbacks on the front lines — Flash

Strikes on Kyiv may be part of Russia’s summer campaign — Bild