More than 900 civilians have died in Ukraine. The true number is likely much higher

By Joe Hernandez

Published March 20, 2022 at 1:18 PM PDT

A local resident collects the belongings out of his apartment in Kyiv on Sunday in a five-story residential building that partially collapsed after a shelling by Russian troops.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says 902 civilians have been killed and another 1,459 have been wounded so far in the war in Ukraine. The office warned that the actual number is likely "considerably higher."

Those casualties occurred between Feb. 24, when Russia invaded Ukraine, and Saturday at midnight local time, as Russia's military continued bombing and assaulting cities.

Most of the injuries and deaths were caused by "explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes," OHCHR said.

Many of the casualties — 992 — occurred in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Ukraine's east, which are partially controlled by separatist rebels backed by Moscow.

OHCHR said there are likely more civilian casualties than it has officially recorded, especially stemming from intense fighting in recent days.

The Kremlin has denied targeting civilians during its invasion.