This article is published in association with United Nations.
The Security Council in New York on Tuesday debated the latest barrage of Russian missile and drone attacks that have targeted multiple cities across Ukraine in recent days. The acting UN Emergency Relief Coordinator told ambassadors that the human suffering during Russia’s on-going invasion “continues at intolerable levels”. UN News app users can follow our coverage here.
Relief chief calls on world leaders to ease civilian suffering
Requested by Ukraine and supported by Council members Ecuador and France, the meeting followed Ukrainian reports that the attacks have caused significant civilian casualties and widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure in cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv and Sumy.
Acting UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya briefed ambassadors at the start of the meeting, calling on world leaders attending the new General Assembly session to “seize every opportunity” to help spare civilian lives “and finally bring this war to an end”.Today 12:05 π.μ.
Thanks for joining our live coverage which has now ended. Follow the latest news on Ukraine here.
For full summaries of this and other official UN meetings, visit our UN Meetings Coverage Section, in English and French.Today 12:02 π.μ.
Ukraine: Russia is ‘wiping its feet on the UN Charter’
UNICEF/Ukraine
Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya said the latest escalation is causing widespread suffering and must be addressed before it unfolds into a humanitarian catastrophe as “Russia wipes it feet on the UN Charter”.
Moscow continues to use ballistic missiles from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in its attacks against Ukrainian people, he said, also raising deep concern over reports on the possible transfer of ballistic missiles by Iran to Russia. In this vein, he called on the international community to increase pressure on Tehran and Moscow in order to protect international peace and security.
“The killing of civilians and strikes on critical infrastructure are key elements of Russia’s war strategy,” he said. “Such deliberate cruelty is aimed, among other things, at intimidation, not only of Ukraine, but mostly of our partners, in order to prevent decisions that would allow Ukraine to carry out long-range strikes on Russian territory. This is the logic of a gangster, which is essentially what [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is.”
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
The ambassador highlighted the war crimes committed by the Russian army, namely the orders to execute Ukrainian prisoners of war and the mass nature of such crimes which are “sanctioned by the higher command and endorsed by the political leadership”.
“We reiterate that if prisoners of war surrender, visibly indicating their intent, and are unarmed, any summary execution is unequivocally a war crime,” he said.
He also emphasised that elections in Russia have turned into a “farce that has nothing to do with the manifestation of people’s power,” adding that “holding them in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine in violation of the norms and principles of international law actually delegitimizes Russia’s political system”.
He concluded that while Ukraine wants peace more than anything, the nation yearns to “save its people as well as its statehood”. 10 Σεπ 2024 11:43 μ.μ.
Russia: ‘Terror has been deployed in the Kursk region’
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia raised several concerns about the ongoing conflict as well as the role being played by Ukrainian allies.
“The West is up to its ears in the Ukrainian conflict and is now doing everything so that the regime can hold out for more time,” he said.
Among these initiatives, he explained, is the incessant supply of Western weapons to the “Kyiv junta”.
He also expressed concern that “terror has been deployed in the Kursk region” of Russia.10 Σεπ 2024 10:57 μ.μ.
UNICEF renews school protection call in Ukraine
Continued Russian attacks across Ukraine this week made for a tragic start to the new school year, a senior official with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said in a statement.
John Marks, interim UNICEF Representative in Ukraine, issued a renewed appeal for schools to be protected as war rages on.
“During the first week of the new academic year, educational facilities in areas including Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Kyiv, Lviv and Sumy were reportedly damaged in attacks,” he said.
Read more at news.un.org.10 Σεπ 2024 10:47 μ.μ.
United States: Citizens living in ‘dark and cold’
© UNICEF/Oleksii Filippov
US Deputy Permanent Representative Robert Wood noted the ongoing aerial assaults across Ukraine which he described as the largest since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
The attacks on medical facilities and Ukraine’s power infrastructure will leave the country with a “power deficit” and its citizens in the “dark and cold” as winter approaches, he said.
Mr. Wood urged UN Member States to “help defend the UN Charter by holding Russia accountable” for violating it as well as denying Russia the “material support it needs to wage war”.
He also called for Member States to provide the “means for Ukraine to defend itself and repair infrastructure”.10 Σεπ 2024 10:42 μ.μ.
UK: Constant bombardments in Ukraine must end
UN News
United Kingdom deputy ambassador James Kariuki highlighted Ukrainian civilians “bear the consequences” of Russia’s aggressions, noting that 14 million Ukrainians now need humanitarian assistance.
“Rather than end this suffering, Russia has instead chosen to sharply increase its attacks on schools and hospitals in recent months,” he said.
Ambassador Kariuki noted that Russia’s continued attacks targeting key energy facilities across Ukraine, constitute a war crime. Since March, civilian infrastructure has seen over 100 such attacks, stating “this must end.”
Ukraine, he added, has the right to defend itself until Russia’s strikes on the country end. 10 Σεπ 2024 10:31 μ.μ.
China promotes political settlement of conflict
UNICEF/Ukraine
Chinese Deputy Permanent Representative Geng Shuang said achieving an early ceasefire is a priority. Meanwhile, China calls on all parties to the conflict to exercise restraint and refrain from targeting infrastructure and nuclear power facilities.
At the same time, the international community should facilitate talks to end the conflict, he said, emphasising that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be upheld.
“The more complicated the situation becomes, the more we should not give up on peace,” he said, recalling China and Brazil’s efforts in this regard, including proposals and suggestions to that end.
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