Russian attacks across nine Ukrainian regions cut power to hundreds of thousands of households and injured at least 15 people, officials said on October 16, according to the Associated Press. The strikes coincided with fresh reporting from United Nations monitors on the growing civilian toll of the war.
The UN report, posted on its Ukraine website on Friday, recorded at least 328 civilians killed and 2,105 injured in September. The combined total was 85% higher than in September 2025 and the highest for that month since the full-scale invasion began. These figures describe deaths and injuries together, rather than deaths alone.
Long-range missiles and drones accounted for 53% of September civilian casualties, while short-range drones caused another 23%, the monitors said. Deaths and injuries occurred across 22 regions and Kyiv. The capital recorded 32 deaths and 340 injuries, with civilian casualties documented on 22 of the month’s 30 days.
From January through September, the UN verified 2,570 civilian deaths and 15,211 injuries. That combined toll was 59% above the same period in 2025. Ukrainska Pravda also reported the findings on Friday, highlighting the heavy impact on Kyiv, Kherson and Sumy.
The UN figures included 18 deaths and 44 injuries in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory. Monitors cautioned that lack of access and independent information prevented verification of most additional incidents reported by Russian authorities. Those unverified allegations are separate from the confirmed totals.
The latest attacks add pressure to electricity supplies as winter approaches. AP reported that Russian military chief Valery Gerasimov told President Vladimir Putin on Friday that the military had the resources to continue striking Ukraine’s energy system. The UN also documented renewed large-scale attacks on electricity and heating infrastructure in September.
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