Child casualties in Ukraine in 2024 up by 57 percent

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Today, 24 February 2025, marks the three-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, one which Pope Francis called "a shameful and painful occasion for all humanity."

At this dramatic time, the UN's Children's Fund, UNICEF, in a statement drawing attention to the horrors perpetrated against the nation's little ones, revealed that child casualties in 2024 have increased by 57% compared to 2023, and that on average, at least 16 children are killed or injured every week.

Actual death and injury figures much higher

Since February 2022, more than 2,520 children have been killed or injured, with 669 killed and 1,854 injured, UNICEF states, while noting the actual number is likely much higher, as these figures only account for confirmed deaths recorded by the United Nations.

Since the escalation of the conflict, one in five children has lost a family member or a friend.

Moreover, since 2021, Ukraine’s birth rate has dropped by 35 percent, and about one-third of children have left the country over the past three years.

In addition, every three-year-old child has known nothing but war, with potentially lifelong impacts on their well-being and development.

Even refugee children under three years old have known only displacement, often separated from their fathers. More than 5.1 million children have fled their homes.

Education crisis

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more than 1,600 schools and approximately 786 healthcare facilities have been damaged or destroyed, and an estimated 40% of preschool-aged children are not accessing early childhood education.

Most schools near frontline areas remain closed, and nearly 40% of children study only online or through a hybrid of in-person and remote lessons.

Examining mental health, the organization states that almost one-third of adolescents report feeling so sad or hopeless that they are unable to carry out their usual activities. These feelings are far more common among girls.

In the midst of this dramatic climate, UNICEF is working alongside the government and partners to address the specific needs of the most vulnerable children while also laying the foundation for long-term development.

To respond to children’s urgent humanitarian needs, UNICEF is calling on the International Community to ensure access to clean drinking water, and to offer financial, healthcare, education, mental health, and psychosocial support.