Topline
The United Nations’ civilian death toll in Ukraine related to Russia’s invasion surpassed 3,000 Monday, a grim milestone as casualties from the war continue to pile up at an alarming rate.
Pictured is a cemetery in Bucha, Ukraine, where hundreds of civilians were allegedly massacred by … [+]
Key Facts
A total of 3,153 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since Russia invaded the country February 24, the U.N.’s Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement Monday according to Reuters.
The U.N. office noted the true civilian death toll is likely “considerably higher” due to the difficulty in confirming reports from heavily besieged regions, and Ukrainian authorities have estimated thousands of more civilians have died as a result of the war.
A majority of the identified deaths occurred due to the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, as Ukraine and its allies accuse Russian forces of targeting civilians with shelling and missile strikes.
Nearly half of the deaths occurred in the Donetsk and Luhansk states in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine that’s become the focus of Russia’s offensive.
Key Background
The war has been devastating for Ukrainian civilians, and perhaps most deadly in the heavily besieged southeastern city of Mariupol, whose mayor estimates at least 10,000 civilians have been killed. Casualty numbers among troops are also staggering: About 15,000 Russian troops have been killed in the war according to the latest independent estimates, compared to about 2,500 to 3,000 Ukrainian troops who have been killed in the invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last month.
What To Watch For
If ongoing investigations by the International Criminal Court and the U.N.’s International Court of Justice conclude Russia is guilty of committing war crimes in Ukraine. Human Rights Watch has found evidence of Russian forces violating international law in Ukraine, though the international justice system is unlikely to bring those responsible for the civilian attacks to justice even if they are found guilty.
Big Number
More than 5.5 million. That’s how many Ukrainians have fled the country since the war began, the U.N. Refugee Agency said Monday, representing more than 10% of Ukraine’s pre-war population.
Further Reading
Over 10,000 Mariupol Residents Have Died, Mayor Says—And Death Toll Could Double (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2022/05/02/over-3000-civilians-killed-in-ukraine-since-russia-invaded-un-says/