The United Nations acknowledged on Tuesday that the actual number of civilian deaths in Ukraine is “several thousand casualties” more than the current recorded number of 3,381. At the same time, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that more than eight million Ukrainians have been displaced.

The current death toll in Ukraine was calculated by 55 United Nations monitoring teams in the country. Most civilians were killed by artillery, rockets and other explosives.

Matilda Bogner, head of the UN human rights monitoring team, says the UN will soon provide an estimate of the number of casualties.

The United Nations will especially struggle to count the number of casualties in Mariupol. “It’s a black hole,” Bogner sighs. “It is very difficult to access and verify information.”

The southern port city has been bombed daily for two months. Nine out of ten buildings were severely damaged and half of all buildings were destroyed. Journalists in the city wrote about the desperation and precarious situation in Mariupol in early April. In addition, recently released satellite images have discovered mass graves.

Moscow denies hitting civilian targets with air strikes. However, several investigations have already shown that the Russians are actually responsible for the deaths of thousands of Ukrainian citizens.

More than eight million displaced people

According to the International Organization for Migration, the humanitarian crisis in the country is getting worse every day. The number of homeless has now exceeded eight million. The organization wrote that while Ukrainian refugees first sought refuge in eastern Ukraine, more and more displaced people are now choosing to travel further.

More and more displaced people say they need financial support. According to the International Organization for Migration, this concerns two out of three people. More than 70 percent say they need the money to cover food and/or treatment costs. There are also more and more Ukrainians reporting that their homes have been damaged.

More than 5.9 million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on February 24. Some of this group have since returned. According to United Nations figures, more than one and a half million people have been affected. According to the mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko, even two out of three residents of the capital have already returned.