Security Council holds emergency assembly on reported assaults on Belgorod, Russia | EUROtoday

At least 18 civilians had been killed and greater than 100 injured in an assault on Belgorod, stated Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General within the UN Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, briefing the Council on the newest developments.

Russia had referred to as for the emergency assembly following reported assaults on Belogorod. Located about 40 km north of the Ukrainian border, Belgorod is residence to greater than 300,000 residents.

The emergency session was being held lower than 24 hours after the Council convened a gathering on Ukraine, throughout which the UN chief condemned Russian assaults towards a number of Ukrainian cities and cities.

‘We unequivocally condemn attacks’

“We unequivocally condemn all attacks on cities, town and villages, in Ukraine and in the Russian Federation,” Mr. Khiari stated. “Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law, are unacceptable and must end now.”

He stated that even because the Council meets immediately, reviews of recent air raid alerts had been additionally coming in from throughout Ukraine, together with within the Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Cherkasy, Poltava and Dnipropetrovsk areas.

Indeed, only a few hours in the past, the town of Kharkiv was reportedly attacked, leading to civilians injured and civilian infrastructure broken, he stated.

Civilian deaths in Belgorod

Mr. Khiari stated assaults on areas within the Belgorod metropolis centre reportedly resulted in harm to civilian infrastructure, together with the regional authorities workplace and the medical school of Belgorod State University.

“The strikes were reported as among the deadliest cross-border attacks on the Russian Federation since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, launched in violation of the UN Charter and international law,” he stated.

At the identical time, he stated, the Russian army authorities reported separate in a single day Ukrainian drone assaults within the Bryansk, Oryol, Kursk and Moscow areas of Russia.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported new in a single day Russian drone assaults focusing on the Kherson area, he stated.

“As the war continues, we will see more Ukrainian and Russian civilians killed and injured,” he stated. “Protection of civilians must be the main priority. The fighting and bloodshed must cease, the war must come to an end.”

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia addressed the UN Security Council assembly on peace and safety in Ukraine on 29 December.

Russia: EU complicit in ‘terrorist attack’

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia stated the town centre of Belgorod had been struck with missiles and assaults by prohibited cluster munitions and Czech-produced Spyder bombs. Targets included a sports activities centre, ice rink and a college.

He requested Czechia and different Western States to account for the place their help goes.

“There’s no use pretending,” he stated. “The European Union countries are complicit of the crimes committed by the gang in Kyiv.”

Council members stated civilians shouldn’t be a goal

Council members roundly condemned assaults focusing on civilians.

Schools needs to be secure havens for youngsters, stated UAE Deputy Ambassador Mohamed Issa Abushahab.

“Civilians must be protected, and civilian objects should not be targets for attacks,” he stated.

Calls for Russia to finish struggle

French Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière echoed a degree raised by a number of Council members, emphasizing that if Russian troops weren’t on Ukrainian soil, “we wouldn’t be here this afternoon”.

The United Kingdom’s consultant Thomas Patrick Phipps stated that Russia is attempting to attract equivalence to Friday’s Council assembly on Russian strikes towards Ukrainian cities and cities.

However, Russia began this struggle and might finish it, he stated.

Many audio system agreed, calling on Russia to withdraw from Ukrainian territory and finish hostilities.

The United States’ consultant John Kelly stated Russia alone is chargeable for beginning this struggle, in violation of the UN Charter.

“As long as Russia persists, the US will support Ukraine in its right to defend itself,” he stated, calling on Moscow to instantly finish the struggle and for the safety of all civilians on all sides in each battle.

China’s consultant Geng Shuang was deeply involved concerning the lengthy, drawn out disaster in Ukraine.

“There are no winners in conflict,” he stated, reiterating China’s willingness to work in the direction of a peaceable answer.

Serhii Dvornyk, Counsellor and Political Coordinator at Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations, addresses the Security Council assembly on threats to worldwide peace and safety.

Ukraine: Still recovering from Russia’s ‘horrendous’ strikes

Ukraine’s Ambassador Serhii Dvornyk stated his nation is “still recovering from Friday’s horrendous strikes”.

“Just hours ago, Russia again terrorized Kharkiv with S-300 missiles, hitting a residential building and a hotel,” he stated. “Since this morning a number of cities and villages in Ukraine have come under Russian fire.”

They embrace Dnipro, Nikopol and Vyshetarasivka in Dnipropetrovsk area, Kharkiv, Vovchansk, Kupyansk and Velyka Shpakivka in Kharkiv area and Antonivka and Tomina Balka in Kherson area.

“The Security Council convened yesterday and is meeting again today, and you should be ready to meet tomorrow, the day after tomorrow – every day that the Russian war against Ukraine lasts,” he stated. “Because as long as this war, unleashed by the Kremlin dictator, endures, the toll of death and suffering will continue to grow.”

Once “Russia’s bloody war” is over there will likely be no extra human struggling, no extra civilian casualties in Europe and no extra purpose for additional Security Council conferences on this difficulty, he stated.

Watch the assembly right here, and go to UN Meetings Coverage for full summaries of this and different UN conferences, in English and French.