Remarks by Miroslav Jenča,
Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas
Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations
New York, 20 June 2025
Madam President,
Since we last briefed this Council on developments in Ukraine three weeks ago, fighting has continued to intensify on the ground, enveloping new geographic areas and prompting further displacement of the civilian population.
We have witnessed unrelenting large-scale Russian arial attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns, resulting in a significant rise in civilian casualties.
On the night of 16-17 June, Russian drones and missiles hit seven districts of Kyiv, killing at least 28 civilians and injuring more than 130 others. This was one of the deadliest attacks on the capital in nearly a year.
According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, rescue workers spent all night trying to rescue dozens of trapped residents from under a partially destroyed nine-storey residential building that had reportedly been hit by a Russian ballistic missile. Many people are still reported missing under the rubble of the 35 apartments destroyed that night.
This is the story of just one residential building, in one neighbourhood of one city.
That night, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv and Kyiv oblasts were also reportedly attacked with over 428 drones and missiles. In Odesa, two civilians were reportedly killed, and scores injured.
These levels of death and destruction risk dimming hope for an immediate ceasefire and threaten to undermine prospects for a lasting peace.
Madam President,
According to OHCHR, since the start of Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, at least 13,438 civilians, including 713 children, have been killed. The confirmed number of civilians injured stands at 33,279, including 2,092 children.
The first five months of 2025 alone, the number of civilian casualties in Ukraine totaled 5,144, with 859 killed and 4,285 injured. This figure was 47 per cent higher than in the same period in 2024.
This dramatic increase is a result of intensified use of long-range weapons, both missiles and loitering munitions, against cities across Ukraine.
According to Ukrainian authorities, between 1 and 17 June 2025, Russian armed forces launched at least 3,340 long-range drones, including loitering munitions and decoy drones, and 135 missiles into Ukraine.
By comparison, 544 long-range munitions were launched during the entire month of June 2024.
Madam President,
Escalating violence impacting civilians also continues to be reported, albeit at a far lower level, in bordering regions of the Russian Federation.
On 17 June, local authorities reported that a woman living near the border with Ukraine in Russia’s Kursk region died at the hospital a day after she was injured in a Ukrainian drone attack.
In another incident reported by the local authorities, on 9 June, a 64-year-old man was reportedly killed and five others were injured in a Ukrainian strike on a recreational center in the Kursk region.
The United Nations is not able to verify these reports.
Let me once again unequivocally state - attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law, wherever they occur.
We condemn all such attacks. They must cease immediately.
My colleague, Director Wosornu, of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, will provide updates about the impacts on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.
Madam President,
Since our last briefing, important diplomatic developments have taken place on the challenging path towards a lasting peace in Ukraine.
On 2 June, Ukrainian and Russian delegations held their second face-to-face meeting in Istanbul, where they reportedly exchanged written memoranda outlining their respective visions for a ceasefire and parameters for a future peace settlement.
The talks also resulted in an agreement for large-scale exchanges of prisoners of war and of mortal remains, as well as civilian detainees. The exchanges have been carried out in phases in the weeks since then.
Earlier today, the latest round of exchanges of severely sick and wounded took place.
It followed several rounds of all-for-all exchanges of youth of 25 years and younger, started on 9 June. Further exchanges are expected.
As of 16 June, the mortal remains of 6,057 Ukrainian servicepersons and 78 Russian servicepersons were also reportedly returned by the sides.
We welcome these exchanges and encourage them to continue so that all remaining prisoners of war and civilian detainees soon return home.
These efforts provide answers to many families who have lived in uncertainty about their loved ones, re-unite prisoners of war and civilian detainees with their families, and allow those who have been subjected to dire conditions in captivity to return to safety.
Madam President,
We welcome the continuation of all meaningful diplomatic efforts, including the recent talks in Istanbul.
We urge the sides to make tangible progress towards a ceasefire and a lasting settlement through continued talks.
The United Nations position remains principled in support of a just and lasting peace in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions and of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognized borders.
The Secretary-General has called for a complete, immediate and unconditional ceasefire as an important first step to that end.
As we are facing renewed escalation on the ground and crisis elsewhere, it is critical to maintain focused attention on the urgent need for peace in Ukraine.
We must redouble the efforts to ensure that the fragile diplomatic process is not only sustained but becomes irreversible.
The United Nations stands ready to support all meaningful efforts to that end.
Thank you.