2025 deadliest year in Ukraine war: UN official
UN officer-in-charge for Europe, Kayoko Gotoh, warned the humanitarian and security situation in Ukraine is rapidly deteriorating
NEW YORK, United States (MNTV) – UN officer-in-charge for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Kayoko Gotoh warned the humanitarian and security situation in Ukraine is rapidly deteriorating as the country approaches a fourth winter of war.
“As the holiday season approaches, Ukrainian civilians are preparing to end yet another difficult year at war — without a ceasefire and with uncertain prospects for lasting peace,” she told the Security Council, noting that 2025 has become “one of the deadliest” years since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Civilian casualties between January and November were 24% higher than during the same period in 2024, Gotoh said.
Since the invasion, the UN Human Rights Office has verified 14,775 civilian deaths — including 755 children — and 39,322 injuries. Actual numbers are believed to be significantly higher.
She warned that systematic Russian attacks on energy infrastructure risk leaving millions without heat, water or transportation as temperatures drop.
She also noted damage from Ukrainian long-range strikes on military and energy facilities inside Russia.
Reiterating that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international law, Gotoh urged all parties to de-escalate in the Black Sea, warning that recent tensions risk expanding the war.
She expressed concern over the continued safety risks at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which remains vulnerable due to repeated power interruptions.
Gotoh also highlighted systematic human rights violations in Russian-occupied territories and emphasized obligations concerning the treatment of prisoners of war.
Despite the grim picture, she said Ukrainians have shown “remarkable resilience” and hope that U.S.-led diplomatic efforts may help move the conflict toward a negotiated end. Any eventual settlement, she stressed, must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“The United Nations remains ready to support all meaningful efforts to this end,” she said.
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