In 2025, Russian military strikes have led to a noticeable increase in civilian casualties in Ukraine compared to previous years. This is stated in an analysis by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), News.bg reports.
According to information from Bloomberg on January 12, based on a summary assessment of several European governments, Russian attacks killed about 2,400 Ukrainian civilians and injured nearly 12,000 people in 2025. These data show an approximately 30 percent increase compared to 2024.
The report emphasizes that more than 2,000 civilians - about 83% of all deaths during the year - were killed after the phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in March 2025, when an agreement was reached to start ceasefire negotiations. More than 220 of these casualties have been recorded since the first reports of the 28-point peace plan announced in November 2025.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) also reported on 12 January that conflict-related violence killed 2,512 civilians and injured 12,142 in 2025. This represents a 31% increase compared to 2024 and a 70% increase compared to 2023. According to the mission, 97% of civilian casualties in 2025 were the result of Russian strikes on Ukrainian-controlled areas.
Russia's deadliest single attack of the year was carried out on 19 November against the city of Ternopil, where at least 28 people were killed and at least 12,142 were injured. 99.
Analysis shows that Russia has significantly increased the volume, frequency and destructive potential of its strikes in 2025, which is likely a key factor in the increase in civilian casualties. According to a European government report cited by Bloomberg, since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russian strikes have killed about 15,000 civilians and injured more than 40,000.
The commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrsky, said on January 13 that since the beginning of the invasion, Russian troops have fired more than 13,300 missiles and more than 142,300 drones against the territory of Ukraine. Russia’s ability to increase the scale and frequency of strikes is linked to expanded production, aided by partners such as North Korea, Iran, and the People’s Republic of China.
At the same time, the choice of weapons and tactics used in Russian attacks have further increased the harm to civilians, as ISW has noted in previous assessments. Russia continues to invest in the production and improvement of low-cost strike drones, which are achieving tangible results for Russian forces on the battlefield.
In addition, the Russian military is facing difficulties in other technological areas, including the effectiveness of some guided artillery munitions. Western sanctions on aviation components are likely to continue to limit the country’s ability to produce military aircraft.
Ukraine, for its part, continues its campaign of long-range strikes against Russian defense and energy facilities. In this context, unidentified drones have hit several oil tankers off the Russian Black Sea coast.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry has dismissed the deputy commander of the Russian Navy in charge of coastal and ground forces, Lieutenant General Sukhrab Akhmedov. On the battlefield, Russian troops have recently made progress in the areas near Borova, in the Kostyantinovka-Druzhkovka tactical zone, as well as in the western part of Zaporozhye region.