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“On March 7, we witnessed one of the most tragic days for civilians in Ukraine this year, with 21 lives lost,” stated Danielle Bell, the chief of the UN monitoring mission.
Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of thousands and has displaced millions of people across the nation.
The UN monitoring mission reported that all civilian fatalities and 79 out of 81 injuries recorded on March 7 occurred in areas under Ukrainian control. The mission is currently engaged in the process of verifying these casualty figures in line with its established procedures.
Escalation of Violence in Donetsk
The majority of the casualties were reported in the Donetsk region, particularly in the town of Dobropillia, where a Russian bombardment utilizing multiple weapon systems late Friday resulted in the deaths of 11 civilians and injuries to 47 individuals, including seven children, according to the UN mission.
Local officials indicated that the assaults led to significant destruction, affecting at least eight five-story residential buildings, an administrative office, and a shopping center.
This latest incident is among the deadliest in 2025, with only two other days reporting similar fatality numbers: January 8 and February 1, where 21 civilian deaths were recorded on both dates. The UN was able to confirm 19 of those fatalities for each event.
While there have been fluctuations in casualty numbers in recent months, the overall count has consistently remained higher compared to the previous year.
The UN monitoring mission is set to publish its monthly update on civilian protection for February on its website on March 11.
Source
news.un.org