YouSaid · the spoken record

Nebenzia

lines on the record: 5,044
first: 2017-08-02
most recent: 2023-12-30
sittings or episodes: 461
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“This has not stopped. We have been accused of undermining evacuations via humanitarian corridors, but the situation is the exact opposite. It is the Ukrainian side that rejected our proposal for a ceasefire and to evacuate people through peace corridors. As we have already said, it is nationalist battalions that are keeping people in the cities, using them as human shield and deploying equipment in residential quarters. I have just received a video from a Telegram channel. It shows nationalists from the Azov Battalion shooting at civilians during an attempted evacuation through a humanitarian corridor from Mariupol to Novoazovsk on the M-23 highway. This is available on the Internet.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): I have not taken the floor again to engage in controversy with the Ambassador of Ukraine. I have a different task, to which I will revert. However, I cannot help saying a few words with regard to some remarks made by the Permanent Representative of Ukraine. He interpreted the letter “Z” on the Russian military equipment currently deployed in Ukraine to be the first letter of the Russian word “zvyeri” — meaning beasts. But we have our own opinion as to who the real beasts are. In particular, they are the representatives of the armed forces of Ukraine and nationalist battalions that have been crushing the civilians of Donbas for eight years and are still doing so to this day. As we speak, Luhansk is being bombed and oil reservoirs are on fire. The same is true in Donetsk.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“In conclusion, I wish to once again firmly encourage our Western colleagues to convince the Ukrainian leadership to think, finally, about the safety of the Ukrainian and foreign citizens held hostage by radicals and to join in efforts to open and ensure the safety of humanitarian corridors — if, of course, they still have any ways of influencing the nationalists; we have increasing doubts about that. We for our part are ready to do our work.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“The break-off in the evacuation of civilians using humanitarian corridors is a violation of article 75 of the Additional Protocol, and the footage published on social networks of the torture and abuse of Russian troops who are being imprisoned is a violation of article 14 of the Geneva Convention of 1949, which guarantees respect for the person and the dignity of troops under all circumstances. I encourage colleagues to make the correct appraisal of all those egregious incidents. We expect the same from the leadership of the United Nations. Otherwise, they would be encouraging Ukrainian radicals and neo-Nazis to commit more crimes.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“Attempts by civilians to protest and to request that that weaponry be removed have been brutally stopped through the threat of use of weapons. Similar cowardice on the part of the combatants who are using the civilian population as hostages is not just deeply immoral but also violates the norms of international humanitarian law, including articles 57 and 58 of the First Additional Protocol to the 1949 Geneva Conventions. Furthermore, in a number of cities, in particular in Odesa, it has been reported that weaponry has been placed near or inside objects of cultural heritage, in violation of article 53 of that Additional Protocol.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“The unit is working around the clock. The staff include the authorized representatives of all the federal bodies of the executive branch of Government, State corporations and federal subjects of the Russian Federation. Their main objective is to guarantee multifaceted humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian population in the controlled regions and in the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, as well as to ensure the safe evacuation of peaceful Ukrainians and citizens of other countries. I must also mention another aspect. The deployment of heavy weaponry, including anti-aircraft defence systems, multiple-launch rocket systems and bombardment artillery in heavily populated areas, are not isolated incidents but have become a go-to method for Ukrainian nationalist battalions.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“We have also taken note of a public statement by Senegal as current Chair of the African Union on the issue. We are shocked by news of the inhumane attacks by nationalists on student dormitories, which have, among other things, caused the death of Indian students. With regard to the safety of United Nations personnel in Ukraine — and for us that is a priority — Russian troops guaranteed the exit of 180 United Nations staff members from Kyiv. That support will continue as needed. We are in constant contact with the Secretariat. We are adopting a responsible approach to resolving the humanitarian issues faced by Ukrainian civilians. On 2 March, an inter-agency humanitarian coordination unit was created on the basis of the National Defence Management Centre in connection with the special operation being carried out in Ukraine.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“It also appears cynical with regard to the people living in cities as those regions are under full control of the Russian Armed Forces and their populations continue to live peacefully. They have everything they need, including humanitarian assistance from Russia — some 50,000 tons of it has arrived in various regions of Ukraine . We are also particularly concerned about the fact that Ukrainian radicals continue to hold hostage more than 1,500 foreigners in several cities, using them as human shields. We are working around the clock with the relevant diplomatic agencies to resolve that issue. Foreigners encountered severe problems in their attempts to leave for Europe. We refer here to citizens from various countries, including African countries.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“In particular, the requests of the Ukrainian party to guarantee evacuation from several settlements that are under the control of the Russian Armed Forces that were made to us less than three hours prior to the opening of humanitarian corridors seem absurd. None of the inhabitants of those areas said that they wanted to evacuate. People are living peacefully in their homes. They are under no threat. In parallel, we were asked to organize the evacuation of citizens from several cities, which, for the time being, are under the control of nationalist battalions. We were also asked to deliver alleged humanitarian goods to Melitopol and Berdiansk, in the Zaporizhzhya region, and Kherson.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“No civilians will leave for Russia and those who try to do so will be shot dead.” While saying that Ukrainian civilians cannot be evacuated to Russia, Ukrainian officials have ignored the fact that Ukrainian refugees are already in Russia. More than 168,000 people, including 43,469 children, have been evacuated to Russia from the area in which the special military operation is being conducted. In the past 24 hours, 5,550 people, including 740 children, have been evacuated to Russia. Some 19,256 private vehicles, 900 of them in the past 24 hours, have crossed the Russian border. We are also establishing temporary accommodation facilities. They are all ready to work with civilians arriving from Ukraine. Regrettably, the issue of evacuating people from other regions is also being politicized, as is the issue of humanitarian assistance.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“It is clear to us that the Kyiv regime uses all available and unavailable methods to halt the exit of civilians, as well as foreigners who wish to go to Russia, because they fear that once those people are free, they will tell the truth about the actions of Ukrainian radicals, as those who have been able to escape the radicals have done. We refer here to threats, intimidation, blackmail, physical violence and orders to shoot on sight — directed at citizens and foreigners. By way of illustration, the Mayor of Sumy, Alexander Lysenko, along with the commander of a nationalist battalion, made a statement today. “There will be no green corridors.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“That information was conveyed last night to Kyiv, the specialized agencies of the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the ICRC and other international organizations, via all available information resources, including the media. An official answer from Kyiv was received only today at 7:10 a.m., Moscow time, and it ignored humanitarian corridors leading to the Russian Federation. The issue was raised in an official statement by Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Vereshuk, who called the proposal to open humanitarian corridors leading to Russia “absurd and unacceptable”.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“In addition, we have stated that Ukrainian authorities have categorically refused to cooperate in efforts to evacuate people from Kharkov or Sumy. In the light of the catastrophic humanitarian situation and the fact that it is worsening in Kyiv, Kharkov, Sumy and Mariupol and the request made by President Emmanuel Macron to President Putin, Russian Armed Forces announced the start of a ceasefire from 10 a.m. on 7 March 2022. Humanitarian corridors will be opened in Kyiv, Mariupol and Sumy, leading to Russian territory, for those who wish to evacuate through that logistically reliable route, and to Ukrainian territory.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“According to our data, in Mariupol alone, some 200,000 civilians are in the cross-hairs of the Azov Battalion and are trapped by radicals in that area. The humanitarian situation in cities is deteriorating rapidly. Humanitarians attempting to provide assistance are unable to reach Mariupol to prevent the impending catastrophe. The situation is critical for people in other regions of the country as they, too, are blockaded by nationalist battalions. We note that, day by day, Ukrainian radicals are showing their true colours more clearly. Local residents said that Ukraine’s armed forces forced staff out of a maternity clinic No.1 in Mariupol and then established a firing site in the clinic. They also destroyed one of the nursery schools in the city.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“At Kyiv’s request, representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were invited to areas with open corridors. The Russian side was ready to provide comprehensive assistance in guaranteeing safe evacuation. We informed the Secretariat of the entire plan in a timely fashion. However, radicals in Mariupol violated the agreement. As is clear from an intercepted radio conversation between two commanders of the Azov Nationalist Battalion, radicals were told to kneecap those heading to humanitarian corridors. When those who risked life and limb in an attempt to leave Mariupol reached checkpoints to exit the city, they were shot on site by Ukrainian Nazis. There is considerable video evidence of those events.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“Let us get things straight. We again wish to emphasize that a threat to civilians in Ukraine is posed not by the Russian military, who do not target civil infrastructure, but by the Ukrainian radicals and neo-Nazis who are holding the populations of several cities as hostages. Using civilians as human shields, they do not allow them to leave the cities, despite the fact that humanitarian corridors exist and that Russian units have declared a ceasefire. There are many examples of that. On 4 March, the Russian Ministry of Defence and the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Irina Vereshuk, agreed on parameters for humanitarian corridors from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhya and from Volnovakha to Dnipropetrovsk. They were supposed to open at 10 a.m. on 5 March.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“It is clear that our assessments diverge from those of other Council members and that they continue to rely on the views of Ukrainian politicians, as well as on dubious or openly mendacious material from social networks, and are determined to cast a shadow over the conduct and goals of our special military operation in Ukraine. We agree with the representative of Albania about the fact that an information war is under way — more likely, a disinformation war. However, he forgot to mention that in the West, in the free world, Russian information resources are being turned off and any information that contradicts the West’s version of events and its fakes is not allowed to be broadcast. The Permanent Representative of the United States today accused us of not honouring our commitment to creating safe humanitarian corridors.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“We welcome the consideration, in the humanitarian plan, of the dangerous mass proliferation on Ukrainian territory of small arms and light weapons, many of which have fallen into the hands of radical elements, including those who have been deliberately released from prison. The consequences of that irresponsible step taken by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who gave the order, are already clear. The number of victims among civilians, at the hands of radicals, is increasing, day by day, primarily in Kyiv. We have been drawing attention to that issue for some time. We call upon all colleagues in the Security Council to maintain the focus of today’s meeting on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine. We have already had the opportunity to exchange political views on events in the country.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Martin Griffiths for his views. We welcome the new Executive Director of UNICEF, Catherine Russell, to this meeting and thank her for her briefing. We wish to note that we have seen the unbiased reaction of the Fund to the Ukraine crisis over the past eight years of its duration. The Fund did not turn a blind eye to the bombing of Donbas, the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk or the humanitarian and psychological issues encountered by children. We hope that unbiased approach will continue in the future. We believe that the views of UNICEF should be based on reliable, tried and tested information.”
2022-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8988 (2022) · source
“According to the nationalists, “there is full understanding on the part of the United Nations. There were no official statements or protests from the United Nations”. We are extremely concerned that United Nations mission vehicles could already be in the hands of terrorists and could be used for terrorist purposes. If the Secretariat is actually aware of this situation, as the nationalists claim, then we would like to receive an explanation of why the United Nations did not inform Member States.”
2022-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8986 (2022) · source
“Checkpoints have been equipped with temporary accommodations, rest facilities and hot meals, mobile medical stations have been equipped with stocks of medication. The evacuees will be later transported to Belgorod and, subsequently, brought home by air. I would like to draw the Council’s attention to another egregious episode, and we would ask the Secretariat’s Rapporteur to provide some clarification in that regard. The Telegram channel of the so-called territorial defence of Kramatorsk published a message about the requisitioning of cars of United Nations mission personnel. If the Secretariat is not aware of that, we are ready to provide the relevant materials. That message states: “Sorry, but the end justifies the means. We have requisitioned United Nations vehicles, as we need them now”.”
2022-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8986 (2022) · source
“The number of foreign nationals who are being forcibly held by Ukrainian nationalists is shocking. In Kharkiv, they are holding 3,189 citizens of India, up to 2,700 citizens of Viet Nam, 202 citizens of China. In Sumy, they are holding 576 Indian citizens, 101 Ghanian citizens and 121 Chinese citizens. In Chernihiv, nine Indonesian citizens are being held. Yesterday, in Kharkiv, nationalists fired on a group of Chinese citizens who were trying to independently leave into Russian territory, and two were injured. The Russian military is doing all it can to ensure the peaceful evacuation of foreign nationals. In the Belgorod region, at the Nekhoteyevka and Sudzha checkpoints, as of 6 a.m. today, 130 comfortable buses were stood ready to leave for Kharkiv and Sumy in order to rescue Indian students and other foreign citizens.”
2022-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8986 (2022) · source
“We urge these colleagues to calm down their mentees, who, in the worst traditions of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists and their associates are hiding behind civilians, placing heavy weaponry and multiple rocket launchers in residential areas. In Mariupol, nationalists have detained 60 citizens who were on their way to the humanitarian corridor that was established and forced them to the thirty-fourth local school, which has been mined. Now those terrorists are using civilians as human shields and are blackmailing the advancing forces of the Donetsk People’s Republic with their readiness to blow up a school full of hostages. Furthermore, they are preventing civilians who wish to leave the cities from doing so. That practice is affecting not only Ukrainians, but also foreign citizens.”
2022-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8986 (2022) · source
“They then try to blame Russia for all of it. Yesterday’s incident at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant is a clear illustration of that. As to the reaction of my dear Western colleagues to this incident and their attempt to turn it into a global scandal, we have no doubt that the radicals and extremists in Ukraine were and are under the protection of these colleagues and therefore have carte blanche to do as they please. For the sake of their Ukrainian project, my Western colleagues are ready to forget about the future and well-being of ordinary Ukrainians, just as they tried to ignore the systematic shelling for eight years of the civilians of Donbas by the armed forces of Ukraine.”
2022-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8986 (2022) · source
“I urge the Council to consider — what would be the point of doing that? We are the best positioned to be aware and on top of the situation. We are also the party most interested in maintaining and ensuring nuclear, physical and general security in Ukraine. We are Ukraine’s neighbours. Together with the people of Belarus and Ukraine, we lived through the tragedy of Chernobyl. We are therefore more interested than most in maintaining a normal radiation levels throughout the territory of Ukraine. I would like to once again emphasize that the danger to the civilian population of Ukraine is not emanating from Russian troops, but rather from Ukrainian nationalists, who are holding the civilian populations of a number of large cities hostage and carrying out acts of sabotage and provocation, one of which we are now discussing.”
2022-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8986 (2022) · source
“Nothing is threatening the safety of the six power units. The radiation monitoring systems at the station are fully operational and there is no threat of a release of radioactive material. I would like to remind the Council that in 2014 Ukrainian nationalists tried to destabilize the situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and in the city of Energodar. Western States ignored that egregious case back then, which could have led to disaster. We drew attention to that serious incident at the time. Now, when the Russian military is doing all it can to ensure the safety and security of Ukrainian nuclear facilities, a massive anti-Russian propaganda campaign is unfolding based on absurd allegations that Russia is trying to create a source of radioactive contamination.”
2022-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8986 (2022) · source
“The background radiation levels in the area of the nuclear power plant are normal. All the nuclear power plant’s facilities are under the control of the Russian military. Their security has been fully ensured, and the station continues to function normally, in accordance with technological requirements. The power units of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant were not damaged. Their condition is as follows. The first has been disconnected for repair. The second and third units have been temporarily disconnected by the decision of the station’s management. The fourth is operating at 690 megawatts, and the fifth and sixth are being cooled. According to the assessments of International Atomic Energy Agency leadership set out in the 4 March press statement, the operation of the nuclear power plant continues normally.”
2022-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8986 (2022) · source
“The Russian patrol returned fire on the Ukrainian saboteurs’ firing points from the training complex and suppressed their fire. As they were leaving, the Ukrainian sabotage group set fire to the training facility. Let me emphasize once again that this building is not located on the territory of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. The fire brigades that arrived were able to extinguish the fire on the premises. At the time of this provocation, none of the regular employees of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant were on site in the training building. At present, the personnel of the power plant — who were not injured, as we were assured by the Permanent Representative of the United States — continues to work normally and is maintaining plant facilities and monitoring the radiation situation.”
2022-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8986 (2022) · source
“The security of these facilities is being ensured jointly by the Russian armed forces and the Ukrainian operators of the nuclear installations. Our servicemen are not interfering in the work of the operators of the Ukrainian power plants; they are limiting their objectives merely to ensuring their security. As we were informed by the Russian Ministry of Defence, on the night of 4 March, while patrolling the protected area, but not the area of the power plant itself, rather the adjacent area, a Russian mobile patrol was attacked by a Ukrainian sabotage group. In order to provoke return fire on the building, small-arms fire was opened on Russian troops from the windows of several floors of the training complex located just outside the area of the nuclear power plant.”
2022-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8986 (2022) · source
“As a result of negotiations with the management of the power plant, an agreement was reached to place it under the protection of the Russian military. The goal is to prevent Ukrainian nationalists or other terrorist forces from taking advantage of the current situation to organize a nuclear provocation. The goal is also to ensure the security of the station and prevent interruptions in power supply to the population of Ukraine and European consumers. At present, the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and adjacent areas are being guarded by Russian troops. In order to do this, personnel with relevant experience, including experience in operating the engineering and technical facilities with which the nuclear power plant is equipped, have been brought in. The current situation is similar to that in the area of the Chernobyl power plant.”
2022-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8986 (2022) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): Today’s meeting is another attempt by Kyiv authorities to kindle artificial hysteria around what is happening in Ukraine, and they are being assisted in this by their Western backers. Today we have once again heard lies about how Russian troops attacked the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, and this is all part of an unprecedented campaign of lies and disinformation against Russia, which is trying to present the situation of the power plant as having allegedly been shelled by the Russian military as a result of which a fire broke out. These statements are simply untrue. The city of Energodar, the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and the adjacent areas were brought under the control of the Russian army back on 28 February.”
2022-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8986 (2022) · source
“As this is the last scheduled meeting of the Council for the month of February, on behalf of the Russian Federation, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to the members of the Council and to the Secretariat for all their support. It has been a very busy month, but we managed to reach consensus on several important issues within our purview, although, as members know, not on all of them. I would like to again thank all the representatives of the Secretariat, including conference services, interpreters and translators, verbatim reporters and security staff. Our presidency is coming to an end. I know I speak on behalf of the Council in wishing the delegation of the United Arab Emirates good luck in the month of March. The meeting rose at 4.55 p.m.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source
“There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the Russian Federation before I adjourn the meeting. I would like to say that I was surprised at the comments by the briefers. Some reports, footage and messages about the developments in Ukraine are taken for granted, while others, although obvious and undoubtedly true, are deemed to be unconfirmed and unverified. We will share some videos with members. We expect the United Nations leadership to comment on how such acts by Ukrainian radicals should be perceived. I now resume my functions as President of the Council.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source
“I shall now give the floor to Mr. Griffiths and Mr. Grandi to respond to the question I posed in my capacity as the representative of the Russian Federation — about the placement of heavy weaponry in residential areas in Ukrainian towns and how that is in line with international humanitarian law? I give the floor to Mr. Griffiths.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source
“In any case, Council members should know that the Russian military will provide any necessary humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine in the territories that have been freed from the radicals. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I give the floor to the representative of Ukraine.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source
“By our estimates, since the beginning of the conflict in 2014, approximately 3 million Ukrainians have moved to Russia. In conclusion, let me reiterate that Russia did not start the war, but rather is trying to end it. Ukraine started the war in 2014, but the international community has tried to ignore it all these years. It was strange to hear the representative of France say that the European sanctions against Russia do not violate international humanitarian law or the interests of ordinary people in Russia. We have heard such duplicitous claims before in the context of other country situations. With regard to the draft resolution on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine proposed by France and Mexico, we need to study the text closely before we can make any assessments.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source
“At a time when the people of south-eastern Ukraine were pushed to the brink of survival by the criminal authorities in Kyiv, who had organized a socioeconomic blockade of Donbas, providing them with Russian citizenship allowed them to receive social benefits, pensions and salaries, as well as education and health-care services. Currently, in Russia there are more than 110,000 refugees from Donbas. They had to leave their homes a week ago when Kyiv made another attempt to “solve” the problem of Donbas by military means, in violation of the Minsk package of measures. The blame for that situation also belongs to our Western colleagues, because they openly indulged Kyiv when it rejected the Minsk package of measures and filled the country with weapons.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source
“We have already explained our approach in several Security Council meetings, and I will not repeat that. Let me just say that we deeply regret the fact that, even today when we discuss the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, not a single Western colleague has mentioned the people of Donbas. Rather, the West has chosen to ignore their suffering for the past eight years. An important support measure for the people of Donbas was the 2019 decree by the President of Russia, Mr. Putin, entitled “On defining for humanitarian purposes categories of persons entitled to apply for citizenship of the Russian Federation via a simplified procedure”.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source
“The widespread fake information is used to blame us for what Ukraine itself is doing. This flow of blatant lies, replicated by Western media, unfortunately has become a dangerous sign of our time. At this Security Council meeting, we heard once again about the bombings of residential areas, hospitals, schools and kindergartens. It is well known that Ukrainian radicals are deploying assault weapons in residential areas, which constitutes a direct violation of international humanitarian law. We ask Martin Griffiths and Filippo Grandi to comment on that. Everyone is well aware that, starting in 2014, Russia and Russia alone has provided assistance to the civilian population of Donbas, who were faced with constant shelling by the Ukrainian army and the blockade imposed by Kyiv.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source
“The Russian Ministry of Defence confirms that all the peaceful citizens of Kyiv can leave the capital of Ukraine without hindrance via the Kyiv-Vasylkiv road. That road is open and safe. We repeat again that the goal of Russia’s special military operation is not to occupy Ukraine or to harm the local population. The demilitarization of Ukraine, which is packed with NATO weapons, is aimed at protecting the long-suffering people of Donbas and Ukraine. Russia’s special operation does not impact critical civilian infrastructure. Over the five days of the operation, there have been no recorded cases of targeted destruction. Similarly, there is no evidence of the Russian military causing the death of civilians. Yet we are constantly being told the opposite, with a reference to some kind of credible reports.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source
“The acute issues are only in towns where the Ukrainian authorities issued a criminal and irresponsible order to distribute arms to anyone who wants them, including criminals who had been released from prisons for that purpose. That has resulted in mass incidents of robberies, killings and looting. There is plenty of information about that on social media. There are also appeals on social media by heads of some local administrations calling on Ukrainian authorities to stop the madness. There have also been many cases in which victims of looters and bandits are shamelessly said to have died at the hands of so-called Russian subversive groups. I address the people of Kyiv, who are held in the city by the radicals as human shields.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source
“I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the Russian Federation. We listened very carefully to the briefings by Martin Griffiths and Filippo Grandi. Without a doubt, all of us are very concerned about the situation in Ukraine. We can see the suffering of ordinary people, who have basically become hostages of Ukrainian radicals and nationalists who desperately are clinging to power. I say that because the people in the areas under the control of the Russian armed forces are not encountering acute humanitarian issues. Once the radicals have left, the local authorities are working normally and providing all the necessary services to the people. Life-sustaining infrastructure is functioning.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source
“In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of Ukraine to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in the meeting: Mr. Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, and Mr. Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I give the floor to Mr. Griffiths.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8983 (2022) · source
“We call on Hans Grundberg to step up efforts within his mandate, establish contacts with all the parties and present an appropriate road map for a resolution to the Security Council as soon as possible. For its part, Russia will continue to do what it can to promote a Yemeni settlement and a general normalization in the region. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. The meeting rose at 10.45 a.m.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8981 (2022) · source
“I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the Russian Federation. While we supported the adoption of resolution 2624 (2022) today, at the same time we would like to note that restrictive measures alone cannot be seen as a way to resolve the conflict and should not result in exacerbating the already critical humanitarian situation in Yemen. The relevant exemptions to the sanctions regime must work. Donors and humanitarian actors must be given full explanations in that regard, including through the United Nations. In taking this decision, we were largely guided by the outcome of the consultations between Council members and Special Envoy Hans Grundberg on 24 February. We hope that intensified political and diplomatic efforts will lead to peace in Yemen and an easing of tensions in the region.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8981 (2022) · source
“The draft resolution received 11 votes in favour, none against and 4 abstentions. The draft resolution has been adopted as resolution 2624 (2022). I now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the voting.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8981 (2022) · source
“In favour: Albania, China, France, Gabon, Ghana, India, Kenya, Russian Federation, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America Against: None Abstaining: Brazil, Ireland, Mexico, Norway”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8981 (2022) · source
“The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. Members of the Council have before them document S/2022/158, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2022/50, which contains a letter dated 25 January 2022 from the Panel of Experts on Yemen addressed to the President of the Security Council. The Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now. A vote was taken by show of hands.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8981 (2022) · source
“Insofar as evidence of the destruction of civilian infrastructure by the Russian military does not exist, Ukrainian strikes and accidental strikes and videos from Donbas are being portrayed as such, whereas they are actually being carried out by Ukrainian nationalists. Furthermore, social networks have a host of educational manuals on how to create fakes to depict Russian military operations and other fabrications. There are 1.2 million such fakes currently circulating on social networks. We urge our colleagues not to aid and abet the proliferation of such disinformation, although I fear that, once again, our call will fall upon deaf ears. I resume my functions as President of the Council. I now give the floor to the representative of Ukraine.”
2022-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8980 (2022) · source
“That is an egregious violation of international humanitarian law that needs to be duly condemned. Essentially, those are the same tactics being used by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant terrorists. All responsibility for the potential repercussions lies in the hands of the Maidan regime. The residents of Ukraine are also under threat from the ongoing activities of radicals, who are giving power to all those who want it, including prisoners escaped from jail, and giving weapons to marauders, thieves and criminals. There has been sufficient evidence of that on social networks from the residents of Kyiv and other cities, demonstrating the reckless attitude of the Ukrainian authorities towards their own citizens. An information war has now been unleashed against the Russian Federation on social networks.”
2022-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8980 (2022) · source