Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict — August 2024

Summary
• At least 184 civilians were killed and 856 injured in Ukraine in August, making it the month with the second highest number of civilian casualties in 2024, after July.

• Multiple mass casualty events, including in Kostiantynivka (Donetsk region) and Kharkiv, and daily attacks near the frontline, particularly in Donetsk region, contributed to the high civilian casualty number.

• On 26 August, a large-scale coordinated attack on energy infrastructure across Ukraine by Russian armed forces, resulted in significant damage to energy infrastructure in 15 regions, and civilians killed and injured in 10 regions of Ukraine and Kyiv City. This was the ninth such wave of attacks since 22 March 2024. In August, energy infrastructure was damaged or destroyed in 37 attacks in Government-controlled territory and five attacks in occupied territory.

• Local Russian authorities reported civilian casualties in Kursk region in the Russian Federation in connection with the incursion of the Ukrainian armed forces that started on 6 August. HRMMU has not yet been able to verify the circumstances of those casualties according to its standard methodology.

• The vast majority of civilian casualties (91 per cent) and damage to educational and health facilities (95 per cent) in August continued to occur in Government-controlled territory.