The United Nations has confirmed 8,173 civilian deaths and 13,620 injuries in Ukraine since Russia invaded its ex-Soviet neighbor a year ago.
The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said the death toll in Ukraine is likely higher because the armed conflict can delay fatality reports.
The international organization said most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, as well as missiles and airstrikes.
“The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) verified a total of 8,173 civilian deaths during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as of March 5, 2023. Furthermore, 13,620 people were reported to have been injured. However, OHCHR specified that the real numbers could be higher,” UN stated.
This comes as intense fighting continues in and around the besieged eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut as Kyiv and Moscow seemingly struggle with ammunition shortages and mounting casualties.
The head of the mercenary Wagner group, which is leading the Russian offensive in Bakhmut, claimed in a video published on Saturday that if his men were forced to withdraw, it could lead to the collapse of the entire Russian frontline.
Ukrainian forces appear to be “conducting a limited fighting withdrawal” in eastern Bakhmut but continue to inflict high casualties on the advancing Russian forces, the US-based Institute for the Study of War says in its latest update.
