The conflict in Ukraine has caused concern in the United Nations Security Council regarding attacks on civilians.
“We denounce any acts of aggression towards civilians and civilian infrastructure,” stated Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General at the UN’s Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations departments. “These actions are against international laws, deemed unacceptable and must cease immediately.”
Sadly, our pleas for the safety of innocent civilians seem to be ignored. The speaker noted the city of Odesa in Ukraine as an example, which has been constantly under attack from deadly missiles and drones in recent days and weeks.
due to Terrorist attacks
The rise in drone strikes is a result of terrorist attacks.
According to Mr. Khiari, civilian casualties in Ukraine’s Kharkiv, Donetsk, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia regions have been reported as the Russian invasion enters its third year.
Furthermore, it has been reported that the conflict in Ukraine has extended to previously unaffected residential areas in the eastern region. The speaker emphasized that Russian forces have caused significant destruction in villages, towns, and cities and listed examples such as Mariupol, Bakhmut, Lysychansk, Severodonetsk, Volnovakha, and the most recent, Avdiivka.
The speaker stressed the importance of stopping the continuation of this terrible cycle and cited a report from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stating that over 10,000 innocent people have lost their lives during the conflict.
Khaled Khiari, an Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, informs the Security Council about the efforts to maintain peace and security in Ukraine.
,
“Invasions, illegal elections, and annexations must come to an end.”
Addressing other pressing issues, he expressed alarm over reports that Russia intends to conduct its upcoming presidential elections in the areas of Ukraine that are currently under its occupation.
He stated that the UN General Assembly has declared the illegal annexations of Ukrainian territory to be invalid according to international law.
“The toll of the past two years of war in Ukraine, Europe and the world has been immense,” he remarked. “It is imperative that we prevent any further loss of lives, destruction, and suffering caused by this war.”
“It is time to end the cycle of suffering.”
Reiterating this request was Lisa Doughten from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), who provided the Council with an update on the dire conditions in the field.
According to a statement made on behalf of UN emergency relief chief Martin Griffiths, the recent increase in attacks, occurring during a severe winter, demonstrates the ongoing infliction of immense human suffering, fatalities, and destruction on the population of Ukraine.
“According to international humanitarian law, it is forbidden to launch attacks against civilians and civilian targets,” she emphasized.
“Deliberate attacks are forbidden; participating parties in the conflict are responsible for safeguarding all civilians and their vital infrastructure necessary for survival.”
Severe consequences, particularly for females.
“We must not forget the devastating impact of this conflict on women and girls in Ukraine,” she stated, acknowledging them on the occasion of International Women’s Day. She raised concern over the alarming rise in gender-based violence against them, considering it a prominent feature of this war.
The UN’s reproductive health agency, UNFPA, has reported that a third of households led by women in Ukraine are facing difficulties in obtaining enough food, while 60% of elderly women are unable to support their own essential needs. She expressed her dismay at these findings.
Unfortunately, due to inadequate resources to support and grow a system of healthcare and social services, countless individuals among the 2.5 million predicted to experience gender-based violence in the next year will be unable to obtain the necessary assistance, according to her statement.
The UNICEF has provided a family in Marhanets, Ukraine, which is on the frontline, with winter clothing kits and other essential supplies for children. (file photo)
The UN is committed to providing assistance for an indefinite amount of time.
“The United Nations and its collaborators are diligently working to deliver humanitarian aid to millions in Ukraine amidst the unstable and worsening security conditions,” she stated. She acknowledged that, in 2024 alone, two humanitarian workers have passed away and 10 have sustained injuries, emphasizing the hazards of providing aid near the front lines.
The speaker expressed concern over the worsening conflict and the wellbeing of civilians living in these areas, as their access to necessary aid is limited due to the ongoing hostilities. They specifically mentioned the difficulty of providing humanitarian assistance in regions under Russian control, such as Donetsk, Kherson, and Luhansk.
“The impact on approximately 1.5 million individuals who require crucial aid in that area is unimaginable, and it can be prevented,” she stated, emphasizing that global laws on humanitarian aid dictate that all groups must permit and assist the quick and unhindered delivery of relief to civilians in need and must guarantee that aid workers have the necessary mobility for their duties.
The UN and its humanitarian collaborators remain dedicated to protecting the well-being and respect of civilians “for an indefinite duration, but it has been enduring for too long,” she stated, additionally expressing that “it is now imperative to put a stop to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and alleviate the hardship of the Ukrainian population.”
Source: news.un.org
