UN’s political chief warns of escalating toll as third yr of warfare in Ukraine looms | EUROtoday

Briefing the Security Council, Political and Peacebuilding Affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo advised ambassadors: “We are no closer to the end of this illegal and unjustified war”.

“With each passing day, the damage the conflict has done – and is doing – to Ukraine, but also to global peace and security and international law, becomes increasingly clear,” she stated, including:

“Only a solution in line with the UN Charter, international law and UN General Assembly resolutions will achieve a just and lasting peace.”

Ms. DiCarlo highlighted the work of humanitarians, together with native and women-led initiatives to ship help to these in want.

She famous the $4.2 billion humanitarian enchantment launched by the UN and companions to assist affected communities all through Ukraine, Ukrainian refugees and host communities.

Mounting dying toll

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, 30,041 civilian casualties have been confirmed by the UN human rights workplace (OHCHR), together with 10,382 killed and an extra 19,659 injured. The precise quantity is probably going greater.

The variety of civilian casualties elevated considerably in December 2023 and January in contrast with earlier months, reversing a development of lowering civilian casualties earlier within the yr, the senior UN official stated.

OHCHR verified that 158 civilians had been killed and 483 injured simply in January.

“I must underscore once again that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur, are prohibited under international law. They are unacceptable and must stop immediately,” Ms. DiCarlo stated.

UN atomic watchdog to go to Zaporizhzhya Plant

Meanwhile in Ukraine, Rafael Grossi, the pinnacle of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is ready to go to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant – Europe’s largest.

It will likely be his fourth go to to the plant, whose six reactors have all been in shutdown for practically 18 months, however nonetheless maintain giant quantities of nuclear gasoline that have to be stored adequately cooled, the company stated in a information launch.

The purpose of the mission is to evaluate the standing of present energy and cooling methods important for the protection of the plant and the degrees of certified employees on website.

According to IAEA’s newest replace on the state of affairs in Ukraine, a brand new announcement from the occupied plant said that no staff of Ukraine’s nationwide operator Energoatom could be allowed to proceed working on the website.

“The fate of the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe and the consequences of a problem there exceed a merely technical aspect; these are issues of a global concern for international peace and security,” Mr. Grossi stated.

“This is why, for me, beyond the technical aspects, it is also important to have a conversation on the fundamental implications of what is happening there – now and in the future,” he added.