HAMILTON, Canada 

The UN on Friday warned that the recent escalation of Russian attacks on Ukraine is driving up the already staggering $524 billion cost of reconstruction and recovery projected over the next decade.

"Already at the end of last year, the total cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine was assessed at $524 billion over the next decade," Miroslav Jenca, UN assistant secretary-general for Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas, told the Security Council. "The most recent escalation of attacks is quickly adding to this toll."

Jenca said civilian casualties in Ukraine have reached a three-year high and cited the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), saying that "in June, civilian casualties in Ukraine reached a three-year high. In the first half of the year alone, 6,754 civilians were killed or injured."

According to Ukrainian authorities, he added that Russia launched at least 5,183 long-range munitions in July, including a record 728 long-range drones on July 9.

"Nowhere is safe in Ukraine," he warned.

Citing the OHCHR, Jenca reported that since the beginning of the war, at least 13,580 civilians, including 716 children, have been killed and 34,115 injured, including 2,173 children.

He expressed concern about reported civilian casualties from Ukrainian drone attacks inside Russian territory.

Stressing that "international law clearly prohibits attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure," he said: "We strongly condemn all such attacks wherever they occur. They must end immediately."

He also warned of increasing threats to nuclear safety as drones are regularly detected near Ukraine's operating nuclear power plants.

Jenca welcomed direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul and said: "We are grateful for the meaningful efforts of Türkiye, the United States, and other relevant actors to help sustain the necessary diplomatic momentum."

"Each such exchange and repatriation alleviates the pain of the affected families and serves as a reminder that diplomacy can work," he said, referring to the exchange of prisoners and over 7,000 mortal remains.

Echoing the urgency, UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Joyce Msuya stressed the sharply deteriorating humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

"In the first half of 2025, nearly 50% more civilian casualties were recorded compared to the same period last year," she said.

"Nearly 13 million people need assistance, but limited funding means we can reach only a fraction of them," Msuya added, warning that only 34% of the $2.6 billion humanitarian response plan has been funded.

"This war continues to inflict suffering on a staggering scale," she said, urging unwavering support for Ukraine’s civilians.