Children killed and injured in one of the biggest attacks on Ukraine in recent months
Save the Children responds to reports that a major attack on Ukraine last night has killed at least 18 people including two boys with children also among the dozens of people injured.
KYIV (June 2, 2026) — Air raids across Ukraine last night, including on densely populated urban areas such as Kyiv, have reportedly killed at least 18 people, including two boys aged three and eight, and injured dozens more, among them children, in what appears to be one of the worst attacks on the country in recent months.[1] The casualty toll continues to be updated as the rescue operation continues.
The war has intensified this year, and 294 children have been killed or injured in the first four months of 2026 – a 27% increase compared with the previous four months. [2]
Sonia Khush, Save the Children Country Director in Ukraine, said:
"Last night’s attacks across multiple cities, which killed at least 18 people, including two boys aged three and eight, and injured dozens more people, are a devastating reminder that children in Ukraine continue to bear the brunt of this war.
"As attacks increase in scale and intensity, they are becoming dangerously commonplace. Families that we work with tell us that they have learnt to live with constant air raid alerts, drones and explosions. They are exhausted, anxious, and struggling to cope with years of uncertainty and fear. But no family should have to accept this as normal. While this may be an understandable coping mechanism in a war that is now in its fifth year, children should not have to live in fear of endless attacks or spend countless hours sheltering in corridors and basements.
"Despite playing no part in the conflict, children are paying the highest price. This year alone, the number of children killed or injured has continued to rise, underscoring the urgent need to protect civilians.
“Attacks on densely populated areas, civilians and civilian infrastructure — including homes, schools and hospitals — must stop. Children must be protected, and all parties must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law."
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Notes:
[1] Russia launches major attack on Ukraine, killing 22, officials say | AP News
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