On Ukraine’s Independence Day, UN officials urged to end violence and to support Ukrainian people ahead of winter

Senior UN officials raised the alarm over escalating Russian drone and missile attacks and their growing impact on civilians, calling for a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire in line with the UN Charter.

The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission reported that July was the deadliest month for civilians in over four years, with at least 437 people killed and more than 2,600 injured. In the first half of this year, civilian casualties rose by 37 percent compared with the same period last year. In August, Kyiv and many other cities suffered dozens of overnight ballistic attacks, resulting in destruction and damage to warehouses storing food supplies, trade centres, residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure.

The rise of drones

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher, who spent last week in Ukraine, recalled witnessing how drone warfare is “dismantling civilian life,” with a 60 percent increase in first-person-view drone attacks in 2026.

He described Kherson as a dystopian landscape of kill zones and kamikaze drones, with roads and buildings draped in anti-drone netting. The simplest tasks for people who still live there, such as buying groceries and taking the dog for a walk, have become a race against death.

“I met a man recovering from an FPV attack while he was selling fruit; another man had lost both limbs, requiring three operations and 17 blood transfusions,” Fletcher explained.

At a hospital near the front line, 70 percent of civilian patients were being treated for blast injuries, predominantly caused by such drones. Civilians live under the constant threat of drone attacks. Nobody is spared. People monitor alerts and alter their movements, but in such proximity to the front line, there is often only a minute, at best, to reach shelter.

The impact of the war continues to expand

Four and a half years after the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the civilian toll continues to rise, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council.

Millions of Ukrainians continue to endure constant violence, disruption to their daily lives and the inability to return home. But the impact of the war continues to extend beyond Ukrainians and Ukraine’s borders.

“The impacts of the war continue to be felt in the broader region. Incidents of airspace incursions in neighbouring countries are becoming more frequent. Recently, Latvia, Moldova and Romania were affected. I also want to express our deep concern at the continuing widespread attacks in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov,” Rosemary DiCarlo underlined.

On the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, she reaffirmed full solidarity with the people of Ukraine, as well as the UN’s continued support and unwavering commitment to and respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.

Calling the continuing cycle of death and escalation “intolerable”, she urged every diplomatic effort to achieve a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire, leading to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace consistent with international law and the United Nations Charter.

Protection of international humanitarian law is a must

Humanitarian workers are also increasingly at risk. Ten aid workers were killed and almost 40 injured between January and July, while at least 20 warehouses were destroyed. Despite the dangers, humanitarians reached more than 3 million people during the first half of 2026.

Tom Fletcher urged the Council to defend international humanitarian law, protect humanitarian operations and prepare for a difficult winter. He also called for support for preparations for the tough winter ahead. If energy infrastructure continues to be targeted, people could face another winter without reliable access to essential services such as heating, water and electricity.

“We cannot accept a future where civilians are simply expected to become better at surviving the ways war harms them. The people I met in Ukraine do not need more tributes to their resilience. They need protection. They need relief. And above all, they need this war to end.”