MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) - Nearly 7,000 Ukrainian civilians were killed in Russia's 10 month-old invasion, the UN Human Rights agency said in its latest update. At least 6,884 Ukrainian civilians have been killed since Russia's invasion of the country began in February.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said that it has recorded 17,831 civilian casualties between February 24, when Russian forces attacked Ukraine, and December 26. This includes 6,884 deaths and injuries to 10,947 people. The dead include 1,832 women, 175 girls, and 216 boys.
Most of the deaths (4,052) were recorded in Donetsk and Luhansk, the two eastern border regions that Russia seized from Ukraine.
Most of the civilian casualties were caused by explosive weapons, including shelling from heavy artillery, multiple launch rocket systems, missiles and air strikes.
OHCHR said it believes that the actual figures are considerably higher, as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed and many reports are still pending confirmation.
Meanwhile, Russian forces shelled Kherson 50 times since Tuesday, reports quoting Ukrainian officials said. The targets included a maternity ward in the southern region.
Ukraine's energy minister Herman Halushchenko has warned that Russia would intensify shelling on New Year's Eve, and he thinks they will 'try to cause maximum damage to the energy system.'
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