A recent report from the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has confirmed that May 2023 witnessed a significant rise in civilian casualties, with at least 274 deaths and 1,763 injuries, totaling over 2,000 individuals affected. This marks the highest casualty rate since April 2022.
According to the mission’s head, Danielle Bell, the number of civilian victims in May exceeded 2,000, making it the deadliest month since the onset of the full-scale invasion.
The report attributes the surge in casualties primarily to the use of heavy weaponry by Russian forces in urban areas. Incidents involving missiles and aerial bombs have repeatedly resulted in mass casualties from single strikes. For instance, an airstrike on May 5 targeted an industrial zone in Zaporizhzhia, leading to 12 deaths and 42 injuries. Similarly, a missile strike on a residential building in Kyiv on May 14 resulted in 24 fatalities and at least seven injuries.
Additionally, the report highlights a troubling trend regarding the use of small attack drones near the front lines. In May, these drones accounted for at least 64 civilian deaths and 539 injuries, marking the highest recorded figures for this type of weapon since the beginning of the invasion. Specifically, in Kherson, 14 civilians lost their lives, and 221 were injured due to drone strikes.
In May 2023, civilian casualties in Ukraine reached alarming levels, with over 2,000 people affected due to intensified military actions. The report underscores the lethal impact of both heavy weaponry and drone strikes in urban areas.