Ukraine war: Over 3,500 children killed or injured

Save the Children analysed figures published by the United Nations today to find that 791 children have been killed and 2,752 injured in Ukraine since February 2022 until April this year, highlighting the extent of grave violations against children in Ukraine, which are illegal under international law. Of these 3,543 child casualties, 294 occurred in the first four months of 2026, 27% more than during the last four months of 2025.    

Nazar*, 16, was seriously injured in an airstrike while playing football with his classmates at his school stadium in Kharkiv, on Ukraine’s frontline. Almost his entire body was affected by shrapnel wounds and his thigh was completely shattered. Since Nazar was able to get to hospital quickly, doctors were able to save his leg, however he had to endure complex surgeries and a long rehabilitation process, supported, among others, by Save the Children partner, the Ukrainian Deminers Association.   

Nazar’s mother, Kseniia,* 47, said: “At first, after we came back, he didn’t go outside at all. He was afraid of everything. Even going to the hospital was stressful for him.  

“I am deeply grateful to the doctors who restored everything they could. His thigh was completely shattered. He also had shrapnel wounds in his arms, his other leg, and his head — fragments were everywhere.”  

Nazar* said: “After I was injured, my mum stayed with me every single day for two years. She was my biggest support. Honestly, I think without her, I would have quit rehabilitation because it was really hard. But mum never let me give up. She kept telling me, “Keep going, do something,” and that helped me a lot.”  

Now in its fifth year, the conflict in Ukraine has killed 15,850 civilians and injured more than 44,800 according to the UN. Intensification of air attacks on Ukraine in the last year [2] continue to put civilians at risk and severely disrupt daily life. Save the Children is calling on all parties to the conflict to ensure that civilians are protected, including refraining from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas that pose a serious risk to children.  

Sonia Khush, Save the Children Country Director in Ukraine, said:  

“The more than 3,500 children killed or injured in Ukraine is a stark reminder of the devastating human cost of this war. Behind this grim milestone are hundreds of children’s lives cut short, thousands more permanently changed by injury, and many more children who have been exposed to repeated trauma, loss and insecurity.  

“Over the past year, we’ve seen escalating attacks on civilian areas that suggest a flagrant disregard for children and their rights. 2025 was the deadliest year for children in Ukraine since 2022. It is more critical than ever to ensure that civilians are protected and that children are spared from harm – including by ending the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, which can cause catastrophic injuries and lifelong physical and psychological harm to children.”  

Save the Children has been working in Ukraine since 2014 and has scaled up operations since the war escalated in February 2022. The organisation now has a team of about 200 staff based in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv and Dnipro. Working with more than 25 partners, the organisation has provided support to more than 4.7 million people, including around 1.9 million children.  

ENDS  

NOTES TO EDITORS 

 *Names changed for anonymity  

 [1] UN data published on 13 May shows 3,543 children have been killed or injured since February 2022. Using the national Ukrainian average of 20 children to a classroom, we divided this by 20 to reach 177.  

 [2] https://www.csis.org/programs/futures-lab/projects/russian-firepower-strike-tracker-analyzing-missile-attacks-ukraine.