Key facts
- Russia is conducting two parallel wars: one for territorial conquest and another targeting civilians.
- Russian missile and drone strikes have hit over 2,500 schools and 3,000 healthcare facilities.
- An estimated 1.2 million Russian troops have been killed in the conflict.
- Over 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russia.
- June 2026 was the deadliest month for Ukrainian non-combatants since April 2022, with 2,283 civilians killed or injured.
Russia is engaged in a dual war strategy, one focused on territorial conquest and another explicitly targeting Ukrainian civilians, according to an analysis of the ongoing conflict. This second war, characterized by widespread missile and drone strikes, has devastated civilian infrastructure, including over 2,500 schools and 3,000 healthcare facilities.
The author recounts personal encounters with the war's impact, including visiting a Lviv suburb destroyed by a missile that killed a family and meeting a teenager recovering from severe burns sustained in an incendiary bomb attack. The report highlights a massive air attack on Kyiv that killed 31 people and injured over 100, underscoring the desperate need for more Patriot missile defense systems.
Beyond direct attacks, Russia has abducted more than 20,000 Ukrainian children for adoption or pre-military training and is implementing a 'Russification' campaign in occupied territories to erase Ukrainian cultural ties. These actions are described not as collateral damage but as sustained war crimes.
The conflict has resulted in an estimated 1.2 million Russian troop casualties, making Russia a global pariah. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission noted June 2026 as the deadliest month for non-combatants since April 2022, with 2,283 civilians killed or injured.
To counter these dual wars, Ukraine requires sufficient military aid from the U.S. and Europe, alongside more missile defense systems. Pending legislation aims to impose severe economic pressure on Russia, and there is a possibility of Ukraine licensing Patriot anti-missile system production. Meanwhile, civil society initiatives are providing trauma-informed training and support to Ukrainian children and repairing damaged schools.