Russian forces intensified attacks on Ukraine overnight on Tuesday, August 5th, 2026, using ballistic missiles and long-range drones that killed at least 17 civilians—mainly around Kyiv—and injured another 44, according to the UN human rights office in Ukraine. Multiple people were killed on a railway platform in the Brovarskyi district near Kyiv.

The United Nations’ aid coordination office (OCHA) reported that July 2026 was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022. In the first half of 2026, UN monitors confirmed 1,396 civilian deaths and 7,978 injuries in Ukraine, marking a sharp increase compared to the same periods in 2024 and 2025 as Russia escalates long-range strikes beyond the frontline.

Matthias Schmale, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator and top official in Ukraine, stated, “With no cessation of the attacks, more families have been left devastated, displaced or struggling to rebuild their lives.”

Aerial attacks and drone strikes also targeted the cities of Kramatorsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, resulting in dozens of casualties and widespread damage to homes, schools, public transportation infrastructure, water systems, and humanitarian warehouses.

Danielle Bell, the UN’s human rights chief in Ukraine, said, “The increasing use of ballistic missiles and other long-range weapons in populated areas is contributing to rising civilian casualties and widespread damage to homes, businesses and other civilian infrastructure.”

The UN reported in February 2026 that approximately 3.7 million Ukrainians remain internally displaced, with 5.9 million living as refugees worldwide.

In Russia, Ukrainian long-range drone strikes killed at least 12 people, including children, across multiple cities on the same day, according to local authorities. UNICEF reported that children continue to be killed in both countries, with three young Russians killed in a single attack on Tuesday and at least six Ukrainian children killed during Russian attacks in the past week.

Ukrainian civilians have also endured a harsh winter marked by Russian attacks on critical energy infrastructure, according to the UN’s country team in Ukraine.