Guterres calls for a ‘just, comprehensive, sustainable peace’ in Ukraine war
By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – UN Secretary General on Monday warned that Russian drone strikes on Ukraine overnight including in the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia reportedly killed at least 14 people – including 3 children.
He also noted that the development came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a group of European leaders arrived in Washington on Monday to meet President Donald Trump, who held talks on a possible peace deal to end the war with President Vladimir Putin of Russia in Alaska last Friday.
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric at the regular daily briefing in New York, said that the Secretary-General António Guterres was watching events in the US capital closely.
“We remain deeply concerned over the continuing deadly Russian attacks that we have seen across Ukraine. The Secretary-General reiterates his call for a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace in Ukraine, one that fully upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty independence, territorial integrity, within it’s internationally recognized borders in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions,” he said.
“We of course must stand ready to support any meaningful efforts towards that end,” he added.
UNICEF in an online post condemned the attacks said “More young lives lost and devastated in brutal attacks in Ukraine,” “End attacks on populated areas. Protect children.”
Media reports said that footage released by the Ukrainian authorities showed an apartment complex in Kharkiv with a massive hole in the shattered roof and upper floors, where fires had been extinguished.
Kharkiv is located in the northeast of the country and 30 kilometres (18.6 miles) from the Russian border. Ukraine’s second city has suffered heavy destruction and repeated shelling since Russia’s full-scale war began on 24 February 2022.
According to the Ukrainian authorities in a separate Russian attack on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia left 3 dead and 20 injured, who said they had shot down 88 drones and missiles launched overnight.
UN human rights monitors in Ukraine in a new update noted that July saw the highest number of civilian casualties in the country since May 2022, with 286 killed and 1,388 injured.
UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said “Aerial bombs caused the biggest rise [and] short-range drones made up 24 per cent of casualties”.
The increase in the number of civilian casualties between June and July 2025 took place in areas controlled by the Ukrainian Government along frontlines.
It indicated the “intensive military efforts by Russian armed forces to capture territory”, the UN monitors stated.
The long-range missile strikes and other munitions caused 20% fewer casualties in July compared with June, they were responsible for almost 40 per cent of all non-combatant deaths and injuries, including in the cities of Dnipro, Kharkiv and Kyiv.
HRMMU said short-range drones were the second leading cause of civilian casualties, accounting for nearly one in four death and injuries (64 killed and 337 injured.
It added that all civilian casualties (98 per cent) occurred in areas controlled by the Ukrainian authorities. Civilian casualties were recorded across 18 regions of Ukraine and the city of Kyiv.
