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Civilian casualties in Ukraine rose sharply in 2025, increasing by 26% as Russian attacks on cities and infrastructure intensified, according to the monitoring group Action on Armed Violence (AOAV).
AOAV reported that 2,248 civilians were killed and 12,493 injured in Ukraine due to explosive violence, based on English-language media reports. The average number of civilians harmed per attack climbed to 4.8 people — a 33% rise compared with 2024. The deadliest single incident occurred in Dnipro on 24 June, when Russian missiles struck a passenger train, residential buildings and schools, killing 21 people and injuring 314, including 38 children.
Iain Overton, AOAV’s executive director, said the data reflects a broader breakdown in wartime restraint seen across multiple conflicts. He argued that the principle of proportionality — a cornerstone of international humanitarian law — is increasingly being disregarded, not only in Ukraine but also in Gaza, Sudan and Congo.
Intentionally targeting civilians or civilian infrastructure in a manner disproportionate to military objectives constitutes a war crime. However, analysts warn that accountability mechanisms appear weakened across several global conflicts. Overton suggested that the international rules-based order now lacks the capacity to effectively hold perpetrators responsible.
Throughout 2025 and into 2026, Ukraine endured near-nightly missile and drone assaults, leaving millions without reliable access to electricity, heating and water. The largest air raid of the war occurred on 9 September, when 805 drones and 13 missiles were launched in a single night.
AOAV compiles its figures using English-language reports of explosive incidents worldwide. While the methodology ensures consistency, it likely underestimates the true scale of civilian harm due to reporting limitations.
Globally, civilian casualties from explosive violence fell by 26% in 2025 compared with the previous year’s decade-high total, largely due to the October ceasefire in Gaza. AOAV recorded 14,024 civilian casualties in Gaza in 2025 — 40% fewer than in 2024.
Israeli military officials recently indicated that casualty figures released by Gaza authorities were broadly accurate. A security official acknowledged that around 70,000 Palestinians had been killed since October 2023, close to the health ministry’s reported total of 72,061 deaths and 171,715 injuries. In 2025 alone, 25,718 Palestinians were reported killed and 62,854 injured, suggesting English-language reporting significantly underrepresents the true toll.
Worldwide, AOAV recorded 45,358 civilian casualties in 2025, down from 61,353 the previous year. These included 17,589 deaths and 27,769 injuries caused by explosive violence.
Israel was identified as the country responsible for the highest number of civilian casualties from explosive weapons in 2025, narrowly ahead of Russia. Israel accounted for 35% of reported casualties globally, compared with 32% attributed to Russia. Sudan and Myanmar followed as the next deadliest conflicts, with 5,438 and 3,178 civilian casualties recorded respectively.
Overton concluded that across Ukraine, Myanmar, Gaza and Sudan, a troubling pattern is emerging: when impunity becomes normalized, violations of the laws of war risk becoming routine rather than exceptional.
He warned that the global community cannot afford to ignore these developments.
