Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict — May 2024

Summary 

• At least 174 civilians were killed and 690 injured in Ukraine in May, the highest monthly number of civilian casualties the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) has documented since June 2023. The number of killed civilians represents a 31 per cent increase compared to April 2024. 

• The increase in civilian casualties was mainly due to attacks in Kharkiv region since 10 May related to a ground offensive launched by Russian armed forces from the Russian Federation into the Kharkiv region. Attacks in Kharkiv region caused 53 per cent of overall civilian casualties in May. 

• Sixty-five per cent of overall damage to educational and health facilities also took place in Kharkiv region, with particularly widespread destruction taking place in Vovchansk, a city in Kharkiv region close to the border between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. 

• The vast majority of civilian casualties (92 per cent), and damage to educational and health facilities (96 per cent) continued to occur in Government-controlled territory. 

• HRMMU documented 24 attacks on energy infrastructure (19 attacks in Government-controlled territory and 5 in territory occupied by the Russian Federation), destroying or damaging power generation plants and electricity substations and temporarily disrupting access to electricity and water supply. HRMMU also documented six attacks on railway infrastructure in Government-controlled territory in May.