Published on: 2026-10-17
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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October 16, 2026 UN
The main news of the day at the UN and worldwide: a record number of civilian casualties in Ukraine, biodiversity summit in Yerevan, death of children in the Gaza Strip, Security Council meeting on Sudan.
Ukraine: casualty data
Experts from the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission report a record number of civilian casualties in Ukraine. Civilian losses in 2026 still significantly exceed those of previous years. According to the mission, Russian strikes intensified in September. At least 328 civilians were killed, and another 2,105 were injured. This is 85 percent more than in September 2025. The mission also reports a significant number of casualties in the first two weeks of October.
UN Chief in Yerevan
At the leaders’ summit in Yerevan, preceding the 17th UN Biodiversity Conference (COP-17), the UN Secretary-General called for intensified global efforts to protect nature. He warned that over a million species are at risk of extinction, and that current measures are insufficient to meet the international community’s set goals. Guterres also called for increased funding for conservation projects and for abandoning support for industries that harm ecosystems.
Victims among children in Gaza
A little over a year has passed since the announcement of the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, and during this time, more than 340 children have reportedly been killed in the Gaza Strip, with hundreds more injured. These figures were provided on Friday by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Just in the past two weeks, as a result of airstrikes, drone attacks, and gunfire in different parts of the enclave, five boys and two girls have died, and at least 33 children have been seriously injured.
Security Council on Sudan
The conflict in Sudan is escalating, and the parties show no willingness to compromise or negotiate a ceasefire. This was stated on Friday at the Security Council by UN Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo. She called on the parties to immediately stop using drones: drone strikes remain the main cause of civilian deaths this year.
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