UN: Drone strikes are the main cause of civilian deaths in Ukraine.

According to the UN monitoring mission, the most common cause of civilian deaths in Ukraine in January was small-range unmanned aerial vehicles. At least 139 people died this month, and another 738 were injured. According to the UN, 27% of deaths and 30% of injuries were caused by drones, reports Reuters.

The UN stated that about 12,500 civilians, including 650 children, have already been killed in the war. Considering that the UN was only able to verify a portion of the cases, this data is considered an underestimate.

Due to the significant number of unmanned aerial vehicles released by both Ukraine and Russia, they have become one of the most important weapon systems on the front lines. In 2024 alone, both sides released over a million such vehicles.

Our data shows a clear and troubling trend in the use of small-range drones in ways that put civilians at great risk.

UN mission head Daniele Bell noted that the onboard cameras of drones should allow operators to distinguish between civilians and military targets, yet civilians continue to suffer in significant numbers.