The 193-member UN General Assembly decided on Monday to reject Russia’s request for a secret vote this week on whether to condemn Moscow’s intention to annexe four partially occupied regions of Ukraine.
On Monday, just 13 nations opposed a vote in public on the resolution draught, 39 nations abstained, and the remaining nations, including Russia and China, did not participate in the vote.
Russia had maintained that Western lobbying made it “perhaps very impossible” to voice one’s opinions in public. Vassily Nebenzia, the UN ambassador for Russia, questioned the campaign to criticise Moscow during the meeting on Monday.
Nebenzia argued that it was “yet another step towards separation and escalation, which I’m sure is not something the absolute majority of states in this room need,” asking “what does this have to do with peace and security or trying to settle conflicts?”
Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia are the four partially occupied territories in Ukraine that Moscow has tried to annex after conducting what it referred to as referendums. The voting have been criticised as being unlawful and coerced by Ukraine and allies.
The proposed UN General Assembly resolution reiterates Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and urges nations not to acknowledge Russia’s action.
Sergiy Kyslytsya, the UN ambassador for Ukraine, urged nations to uphold the ideals of the UN Charter’s founding document.
“As the Russian delegation approaches the General Assembly, a trail of blood is left in its wake and the stench of flaming human flesh fills the room. We have permitted that in Syria. That is what is taking place in Ukraine right now “On Monday, he spoke to the General Assembly.
In its most extensive aerial assaults since the war’s beginning more than seven months ago, Russia launched cruise missiles into populated Ukrainian cities on Monday, carrying out what the United States called “horrific strikes,” killing civilians and knocking off heat and electricity.
