Published on: 2026-06-02
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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The UN Secretary-General strongly condemns the latest large-scale missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Dnipro, and Kharkiv, carried out by Russian military forces during the night from Monday to Tuesday.
As reported at a briefing at the United Nations headquarters in New York by UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, the night attacks, according to preliminary information, resulted in the death of more than 20 people, including two children. More than a hundred people were injured. Serious damage was inflicted on residential and other civilian infrastructure.
“We again emphasize that attacks on civilians and civilian objects are prohibited under international humanitarian law and must be immediately stopped,” Dujarriq said. “We also reiterate the urgent call of the Secretary-General for immediate de-escalation, and ultimately for a complete, immediate, and unconditional cessation of hostilities in this conflict.”
The Secretary-General’s press secretary also reported that humanitarian organizations, including UN agencies, are currently providing psychological support to those affected, distributing emergency humanitarian kits and financial assistance.
The UN humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine also condemned these attacks. Matthias Schmale noted that instead of “enjoying the start of summer school holidays,” children and their parents spent the night in shelters – to the sounds of air raid sirens and the rumble of explosions.
Rescue operations continue
According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, this attack became one of the largest this year: Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of rockets, resulting in numerous civilian casualties and destruction of residential buildings, commercial facilities, medical and educational institutions.
Ukrainian authorities reported the death of at least 22 people, including two children, and 145 injured, among whom are eight children.
Mission teams visited strike sites in Kyiv and Dnipro, where rescue operations continue. UN representatives noted that many residents spent the night in shelters; some may remain under the rubble.
According to the Ukrainian side, which the Mission refers to, out of 656 drones and 73 missiles launched overnight, some were intercepted, but dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones, reached targets in 38 populated areas. Among the dead was an emergency services worker.
The number of casualties among civilians is increasing
In 2026, the number of civilian casualties in the territory of Ukraine increased by approximately 20 percent compared to the same period last year. This trend is mainly due to the increased use of long-range missiles and drones.
“The large number of victims once again demonstrates the scale and predictable damage caused by explosive weapons when used in densely populated areas,” the Mission emphasized.
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