Civilian death toll in Ukraine rises to 331 — UN rights office

Members of Ukraine's Territorial Defence Forces patrol a street, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Odessa, Ukraine, in this handout picture released March 4, 2022. Press service of the 28th Separate Mechanised Brigade/Handout via REUTERS civilian death toll ukraine russia invasion

Members of Ukraine’s Territorial Defence Forces patrol a street, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Odessa, Ukraine, in this handout picture released March 4, 2022. Press service of the 28th Separate Mechanised Brigade/Handout via REUTERS

The U.N. human rights office said on Friday it had confirmed 331 civilians have been killed and 675 injured in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began on Feb. 24, adding that the real toll was likely much higher.

The toll, through to midnight on Thursday, rose from 249 in its previous report from a day earlier. Among the 331 killed were 19 children, the U.N. rights office said.

Most of the victims were killed by explosive weapons such as shelling from heavy artillery, multi-launch rocket systems and missile and air strikes, according to the rights office, which has monitors in Ukraine.

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