Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict — January 2025

Summary

• At least 139 civilians were killed and 738 injured in Ukraine in January 2025, a 39 per cent increase from December 2024, and 27 per cent higher than casualties in January 2024 (169 killed; 524 injured).
• The vast majority of civilian casualties (89 per cent) and damage to educational and health facilities (93 per cent) occurred in territory controlled by Ukraine.
• Short-range drones, including First-Person-View drones, caused the highest number of casualties in January, exceeding the impact of any other weapon. In government-controlled parts of Kherson region, this weapon accounted for 70 percent of the casualties.
• Several attacks in Zaporizhzhia City on 8, 18, and 23 January caused a high number of civilian casualties (17 killed; 176 injured), contributing to the overall January increase.
• The majority of casualties (81 per cent) occurred near the frontline, primarily in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions.
• Russian armed forces conducted a large-scale, coordinated attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on 15 January, damaging at least four gas production, transportation and storage facilities in three regions. The attacks resulted in emergency power outages in seven regions of the country.