cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/47008854
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported in early January that 2025 was the deadliest year for Ukrainian civilians since 2022. Civilian casualties were 31% higher than in 2024 and 70% higher than in 2023. Russian attacks killed 2,514 verified civilians and injured 12,142—and the real numbers are almost certainly higher.
The scale of Russian firepower behind these numbers is staggering.
In 2025, Russia launched 53,732 combat drones against Ukraine—a fivefold increase over 2024. That averages to 147 drones every night, over a thousand per week. Russia nearly doubled its use of ballistic and aeroballistic missiles to 568, on top of 1,330 cruise and other missiles. In October 2025, Russia fired a record 89 ballistic missiles at Ukraine. January 2026 broke that record again with 91—plus 6,000 drones, 5,500 guided aerial bombs, and 158 additional missiles.
The human cost is not abstract. On 19 November, Russia struck the western city of Ternopil, killing 38 civilians, including eight children. Ten families lost at least two members. On 31 July, Kyiv suffered its deadliest attack since 2022—32 killed, including five children, 170 wounded.
Along the front, the majority of casualties came from a 120% increase in short-range drone use—the tactic known as “human safari,” where Russian operators deliberately chase and kill individual civilians, many of them elderly people unable to evacuate.
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hes the piece of trump president.
All of this happened under the banner of peace. Throughout 2025, the US Administration actively facilitated negotiations, and reports of “progress” flowed steadily. By early 2026, talks had moved to a trilateral format—itself hailed as an achievement. But beyond the fact of talks happening, there is no visible progress. Russia’s demands remain maximalist. There is no agreed framework for a ceasefire, only vague discussions about monitoring one.
The pattern is consistent: both rounds of negotiations in Abu Dhabi were accompanied by major Russian strikes on Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure. The so-called energy “ceasefire” in early February was a masterclass in Russian deception—no one knew its exact scope, duration, or even start date. This gave Russia the appearance of goodwill for Washington’s benefit without committing to anything. When Putin violated the agreement on 3 February, Trump said Putin “kept his word.”
tRump and Putin both lie. What I find astounding is why politicians still believe them?
“But the more innocent Ukrainians that die means good things, right?!” - Tankies.
Its amazing we lived to see the alliance between Nazis and psuedo-communists revived in our lifetimes.
Art of the deal