Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) released a statement revealing the confirmed number of civilian casualties resulting from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, citing concerns about the thousands of unverified deaths.

The statement stated that since the invasion began on February 24, 2022, until April 9, 2023, there were 8,490 deaths and 14,244 injuries.

The UNHCR has stated that their figures are "the tip of the iceberg," due to restricted access to combat zones.

Most of the deaths were recorded in the Ukrainian government-controlled territory that is under attack from Russian forces, including 3,927 deaths in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which are witnessing heavy fighting.

According to the UNHCR, the actual number of casualties may be much higher due to the delay in receiving information from certain locations experiencing intense fighting, and many reports are yet to be confirmed. Russian forces have recently intensified their offensive in the Donetsk region, and many cities and towns are under heavy bombardment.

Last month, a UN-mandated investigative body concluded that Russian forces had carried out "indiscriminate and disproportionate" attacks on Ukraine. However, Russia denies allegations of committing atrocities or targeting civilians.