UN Chief Condemns Civilian Deaths in Ukraine and Russia
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk condemned attacks killing at least 85 civilians in Ukraine and expressed concern over Ukrainian strikes within Russia.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned a wave of Russian strikes across Ukraine between October 5 and October 9, 2026, which killed at least 85 civilians and injured 346 others. Among the most severe incidents was a strike on two public buses in Kramatorsk that left at least 30 civilians dead.
Russian long-range strikes also targeted power generation plants and electric substations, causing widespread darkness and rolling power outages as Ukraine enters colder months. Türk stated that deliberate attacks on civilians could amount to war crimes and called for investigations into all alleged violations of the laws of war.
Türk also expressed concern regarding reports of Ukrainian attacks that killed and wounded civilians within Russia and occupied territories. He emphasized that civilians are strictly protected under the laws of war and must never be targeted.
