Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict — March 2025

Summary

• Civilian casualties in Ukraine continued to rise in March with at least 164 civilians killed and 910 injured in Ukraine. The numbers constitute a 50 per cent increase from February 2025 (129 killed; 588 injured), and a 71 per cent increase compared with March 2024 (129 killed; 498 injured).  

• The vast majority of civilian casualties (95 per cent[1]) and damage to educational and health facilities (94 per cent[2]) occurred in territory controlled by Ukraine.

• Most casualties (31 percent) were due to missile and loitering munitions attacks, followed by attacks with rocket and projectile artillery near the frontline (28 percent).

• The high number of casualties in March was exacerbated by Russian Federation attacks in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kropyvnytskyi, and Sumy, as well as a combined strike with multiple munitions, including cluster munitions, on Dobropillia (Donetsk region).

• In at least three separate incidents, loitering munitions struck operational hospitals in territory controlled by Ukraine, in Kharkiv and Sumy regions, resulting in damage to the facilities. In all three incidents multiple loitering munitions struck the same locations, raising the possibility that these hospitals were deliberately targeted. 

• From 3 to 7 March, the Russian armed forces attacked energy infrastructure in Odesa region for five consecutive days, damaging facilities and causing temporary power outages for the civilian population.

[1] 1,021 civilian casualties in territory controlled by Ukraine and 53 in territory occupied by the Russian Federation

[2] 82 in territory controlled by Ukraine and 5 in territory occupied by the Russian Federation