Civilian casualties in the Russia-Ukraine war are climbing steeply, according to the United Nations, which links the increase to a growing number of long-range missile and drone strikes. The latest assessment points to attacks reaching well beyond active battle zones and putting more non-combatants in danger.
The UN says the wider use of ballistic missiles and drones is contributing heavily to the rising toll. These weapons are increasingly hitting densely populated urban areas, including locations far from the front line, where residents may have less expectation of coming under direct attack.
That shift underscores how the war continues to expand its impact on everyday life, even in places removed from the heaviest ground fighting. As strike ranges extend deeper into populated regions, the risks to homes, infrastructure and civilians also grow.
The UN's findings highlight a worsening humanitarian cost in the conflict, with civilians bearing more of the burden as long-range attacks intensify. The trend adds to concerns over the protection of people living in cities and towns increasingly exposed to missile and drone warfare.
