Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets: We Must Act Together to Protect People’s Lives

Last night, Ukraine once again experienced terror against the civilian population. Russia attacked with over 90 drones and two ballistic missiles, targeting civilian cities — Sumy, Odesa, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Poltava. Among the wounded are children aged 5 months, 4, and 6 years old.

The terrorist state knows no bounds. The number of civilian casualties continues to rise. According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, in July, the number of victims reached a new three-year high: 286 civilians killed and 1388 wounded.

In total, in the first seven months of 2025, the number of civilians killed and wounded increased by 48% compared to the same period in 2024!

These horrific figures speak for themselves: Russia is deliberately violating all possible norms of international law. As the Ombudsman of Ukraine, I systematically inform the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the OSCE, and the Council of Europe about the numerous crimes committed by the Russian Federation. The aggressor can only be stopped by consolidating the efforts of the international community and responding with inevitable justice to every manifestation of terror.

We must act together to protect human lives. The world must show that terror will never prevail!