The total damage caused by the war to Ukraine is estimated at $195 billion. UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine: the number of victims is growing, the energy system is on the verge of collapse Peace and security
At a Security Council meeting on Monday, UN Deputy Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo said that more than four years after Russia began its full-scale invasion, the situation is “worse than ever.” According to her, Ukraine has experienced almost 1,500 days of “death, destruction and despair.”
According to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, 15,364 civilian deaths have been confirmed since February 2022, including 775 children. Another 42,144 people were injured. The real numbers, DiCarlo emphasized, are likely much higher. In February this year alone, the death toll increased by 45 percent compared to the same period last year.
Attacks on urban infrastructure
The UN records an increase in attacks on residential areas and transport facilities. Thus, on March 7, an attack on a residential building in Kharkov killed at least ten people. In Kyiv on March 13–14, six civilians were killed. Attacks in the Donetsk, Kharkiv and Kherson regions in mid-March resulted in the deaths of six more people. In Zaporozhye on March 21, a rocket destroyed a residential building: a married couple was killed and two children were injured.
Separately, DiCarlo noted an increase in attacks on railway infrastructure – in the Nikolaev, Odessa and Sumy regions.
Ukraine’s energy system is under threat
Last winter, attacks on energy facilities put Ukraine’s energy grid “on the brink of complete collapse.” According to Ukrainian authorities, 60 percent of gas production capacity was destroyed, all power plants in the country were damaged, which led to constant interruptions in electricity, heating and water.
In Odessa, serious damage was caused to energy, industrial and port facilities, and on March 19, residential buildings were damaged as a result of a drone attack.
The situation in Russia
Russia also reported infrastructure damage and civilian casualties. According to local authorities, from March 14 to 16, the largest Ukrainian drone strike on Moscow was repelled – about 250 drones were shot down. The UN cannot confirm this information due to lack of access.
Military actions continue to threaten the safety of the Zaporozhye NPP. On March 5, after further damage to power lines, repair work was able to be carried out at the station – thanks to a local ceasefire agreed upon by the IAEA.
Damage and restoration
According to the UN, 6.7 million Ukrainians remain refugees, another 3.7 million are internally displaced persons. The European Union has extended temporary protection for Ukrainians until March 2027.
Total damage from the war is estimated at $195 billion, with reconstruction needs at $588 billion over the next decade.
Ukraine also remains one of the most mined countries in the world: at the end of 2025, 132 thousand square kilometers were considered potentially contaminated with explosive devices.
Crimes against children
Rosemary DiCarlo reminded the Security Council of the conclusions of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into events on the territory of Ukraine, presented by 12 March. The commission found that the Russian authorities committed crimes against humanity – “deportations and forced transfers, as well as enforced disappearances directed against children.” DiCarlo called for the immediate return of all deported Ukrainian children.
Call for an immediate ceasefire
DiCarlo stressed that the war carries growing risks for regional and international security. “A complete, immediate and unconditional ceasefire is an absolute necessity,” she said.
The UN Deputy Secretary-General welcomed the US diplomatic efforts, calling them “the most significant initiative” to promote peace over the past year, and emphasized that peace for Ukraine must be “just, lasting and consistent with the UN Charter.”
Humanitarian workers are at gunpoint
Additional data on the humanitarian situation was presented at a Security Council meeting by the Deputy Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator UN Tom Fletcher. According to him, the number of civilian casualties in Ukraine today is significantly higher than last year, and the population faces “waves of drone strikes and missiles that destroy homes, schools and hospitals.” He emphasized that many families are leaving their homes, while the most vulnerable – elderly and low-income people – are forced to remain in high-risk areas.
“These populations live under constant pressure: stress accumulates quietly but inexorably,” Fletcher said.
The Deputy Secretary General reported on the incident on March 20, when the humanitarian mission “Proliska” was hit by a drone during the evacuation of elderly people in the Donetsk region. Two women were killed and two more evacuees were injured. The vehicle was clearly marked with the logo of the humanitarian organization. Fletcher called for an investigation, prosecution of those responsible, and practical measures to prevent similar attacks from happening again.
Despite growing threats and widespread destruction, humanitarian aid continues to flow. In January alone, the UN and partners were able to support nearly a million Ukrainians with food, cash and medical assistance, shelter and protection. Over the winter, about 100 humanitarian organizations helped 1.6 million people in the country.
Last week, an interdepartmental convoy delivered aid to the frontline region of the Kharkov region, where about 500 people live and there are no basic services. Fletcher emphasized that local organizations remain the “foundation” of the entire humanitarian system of Ukraine.
The US is “determined to stop the war”
The President of the United States is “committed to ending this war,” said US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. “It is critical to stop the senseless loss of life and destruction,” he said.
According to him, the war has “unbalanced” the entire international order and led to enormous costs for both parties to the conflict and for many other countries. The United States continues to seek an agreement to end the war, while negotiations are ongoing, Landau noted.
“We are trying to show both sides that they have more to gain from a cessation of hostilities than from their continuation,” he explained. “The world will open up opportunities for prosperity the likes of which this region has never seen.”
France pointed to the global consequences of the war
Shahed drones, transferred by Iran to the Russian Federation, attacked large Ukrainian cities long before Tehran began using them against cities in the Persian Gulf, emphasized Jerome Bonnafon, who represents France in the Security Council.
“What should we think about Russia’s proposals to mediate in the Middle East if Moscow refuses to stop fighting in Europe?” – he asked, recalling that Russia itself started the hostilities. According to him, the war on the territory of Ukraine is a war in which Ukraine defends its independence and sovereignty.
Its consequences, according to official Paris, are felt all over the world: Moscow, as the diplomat noted, is attracting men from 17 countries of Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East to participate in hostilities.
UK: “Russia could end the war today”
“Russia is systematically trying to erase Ukrainian identity,” said James Kariuki, speaking on behalf of Great Britain. According to him, this is manifested, in particular, in the forced deportation and indoctrination of thousands of Ukrainians, which Ukraine earlier this month classified as crimes against humanity.
“Russia could end this war today,” he emphasized, recalling that Ukraine a year ago agreed to a complete, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
“If Russia is truly interested in peace, we urge it to agree to this,” he said, pointing to the need for meaningful negotiations aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace.
Russia: 27.5 thousand Russian civilians suffered from attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces
Since February 2022, at least 27.5 thousand civilians Russia suffered from attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This was stated by the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN Vasily Nebenzya, speaking at the Security Council. He also reported on a number of recent deadly incidents, including the Storm Shadow long-range missile attack on Bryansk, which killed eight people and injured more than 40.
“On the same day, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked a hospital medical facility in the DPR with drones,” Nebenzya continued. “At the time of the attack, there were more than 130 patients and about 50 medical personnel there. Ten doctors were killed, ten more people were injured of varying degrees of severity.”
In total, according to him, in the week from March 9 to 15, 239 civilians were injured by shelling. “We are recording an unprecedented number of attacks using drones in Russian regions, including Moscow and the Moscow region,” the diplomat emphasized.
China called for equal participation of all parties in the peace process
Sun Lei, representing China, said Beijing has been consistently promoting peace negotiations and is making efforts for a political settlement of the crisis around Ukraine.
The Chinese diplomat referred to the four principles put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping, which state that it is necessary to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, abide by the UN Charter, take seriously the legitimate concerns of all countries regarding their security and support efforts that promote a peaceful settlement.
In this context, Sun Lei called for equal participation in the peace process by all parties, which, according to him, will ensure common security and create a strong architecture for peace.