A UN official on Monday warned that the war in Ukraine has become deadlier than at any point since it began in 2022.
"The war in Ukraine is deadlier today than at any point since the start of the Russian Federation's full-scale invasion in 2022.
"Each succeeding year of the war has recorded more civilians killed than the previous one," Rosemary DiCarlo, UN under-secretary-general for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, told a Security Council meeting.
She cited a series of recent large-scale attacks, including a June 1 missile and drone barrage that struck multiple Ukrainian cities. According to local authorities, the strikes killed and injured dozens, damaged residential neighborhoods, hospitals, and energy infrastructure, and forced tens of thousands of residents in Kyiv to seek shelter underground.
While noting that the UN cannot independently verify all battlefield reports, DiCarlo said that the conflict is "intensifying."
Since the start of the war, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has confirmed more than 15,000 civilian deaths and nearly 45,000 injuries, including thousands of children.
"The actual figures are likely significantly higher," she said.
DiCarlo urged the parties to return to the path of diplomacy.
"It is not too late to re-engage in dialogue and negotiations in good faith. The long-term security and stability of Europe depend on concerted and inclusive diplomatic efforts to end this war," she said.
She also called for an "immediate, full, and unconditional" ceasefire under the framework of the UN Charter and international law.
"Such a ceasefire would save lives, alleviate suffering, and create the space necessary for diplomatic efforts towards a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace," DiCarlo said, adding the UN remains committed to supporting all efforts to achieve "this important objective."
