UN report details devastating impact of hostilities on children in Ukraine

“The ongoing hostilities and occupation of parts of Ukraine by the Russian Federation have caused large-scale human rights violations and inflicted unimaginable suffering on millions of children. Their rights have been undermined in every aspect of life, leaving deep scars, both physical and psychosocial,” said Liz Throssell, a spokesperson for the UN Human Rights office.

Between 24 February 2022 and 31 December 2024, 669 children were killed and 1,833 injured, many as a result of the extensive use of explosive weapons in populated areas. Of these, 521 were killed and 1,529 injured in territory controlled by Ukraine, and 148 were killed and 304 injured in currently occupied territory. The actual numbers are likely much higher.

“Vast areas of Ukraine are now littered with landmines and explosive remnants of war, posing long-term risks to children’s lives and safety,” she said.

“As of December 2024, an estimated 737,000 children had been internally displaced by the hostilities. A further 1.7 million were refugees, many of them separated from a parent, usually their father,” Throssell added.

Since annexing four regions of Ukraine in late 2022, in breach of international law, the Russian Federation authorities have made sweeping and profound changes to laws, institutions and governance there, directly affecting children and their human rights.

“They have imposed Russian citizenship and the Russian school curriculum, while also restricting any access to education in the Ukrainian language. They have prioritised military-patriotic training at school and in youth groups, exposing children to war propaganda. These changes violate international humanitarian law, which obliges the occupying Power to protect children, respect their national identity, and maintain the continuity of their education and culture,” she said.

“During the period under review, there were at least 1,614 attacks that destroyed or damaged schools. The Ukrainian authorities have implemented a broad range of measures, including requiring schools to have bomb shelters or to deliver classes online.”

Frequent air raid alerts disrupt classes and attacks by Russian armed forces on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have caused repeated power outages that shut down online classes, which are attended either fully or partially by more than a third of Ukrainian children.

“It is clear that Ukrainian children have endured a wide range of wartime experiences, all with serious impacts. Some as refugees, others as direct victims, under continued threat of bombardment, and many subject to the coercive laws and policies of the Russian authorities in occupied areas,” Throssell said.

“As our report makes clear, acknowledging and addressing violations are essential to ensure a future where all Ukrainian children can reclaim their rights, identity and security, free from the enduring consequences of war and occupation.”

In a recorded interview Danielle Bell, the UN Human Rights Representative in Ukraine who led the team that produced the report, said: “Three years of war is three years essentially lost in the life of a child, three years of disrupted education. We see increased poverty as a consequence of massive displacement of the population. Kids of children across Ukraine are really suffering.”

“We spoke to a mother whose child whose hair had turned gray because he hadn't slept properly for a year because of air raid sirens going off every night in his home,” she said.

END

For more information and media requests, please contact:

In Geneva

Liz Throssell: + 41 22 917 9296 / elizabeth.throssell@un.org

Jeremy Laurence: +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org

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