Ukraine Seeks UN Investigation Into Alleged Russia War Crimes; Russia, China Vote Against It
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The Chinese regime on Feb. 28 joined Russia in voting against the United Nation’s (U.N.) top human rights body holding an urgent debate on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Kyiv’s envoy requested to hold an urgent debate on Thursday, alleging that some of Moscow’s military actions “may amount to war crimes.”
But Ukraine’s request was accepted by the U.N. Human Rights Council, following a vote of 29 votes in favor, five against, and 13 abstentions. The council has only held six such urgent debates so far.
Yevheniia Filipenko, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, said, “Russian forces attempt to sow panic among the population by specifically targeting kindergartens and orphanages, hospitals and mobile medical aid brigades thus committing acts that may amount to war crimes.”
“It was not just an attack on Ukraine, it was an attack on every U.N. member state, on the United Nations, and on the principles that this organization was created to defend,” Filipenko said in an opening speech on Monday.
China, whose ruling communist party refuses to call Moscow’s assault in Ukraine an invasion, voted against it, along with Russia, Cuba, Eritrea, and Venezuela.
Beijing’s opposition follows its abstention at Friday’s vote on a U.N. Security Council resolution to condemn Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The draft was vetoed by Russia.
While the White House called on Beijing to publicly condemn Russia’s agression, the Chinese regime has repeatedly refused to denounce Moscow’s actions.
When asked if Beijing keeps a neutral stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Monday that the regime and Russia are “strategic partners of coordination,” and that its position on Ukraine is based on “the merits of the matter itself.”
Since Russia declared a “special military operation” five days ago, at least 102 civilians, including seven children, have been killed in Ukraine, the U.N. rights chief Michelle Bachelet said on Monday, adding the figure is likely an undercount.
She said more than 420,000 people had fled the country, citing official figures from the U.N. refugee agency.
A Ukrainian draft resolution will be considered at the urgent debate.
If adopted, a commission of three independent experts would investigate all alleged violations of international law in Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions since 2014 and in other areas of Ukraine since Russia’s invasion last week.
The meeting is expected to be held on March 3, after three days of speeches delivered by officials from over 140 countries, including China and Russia. The top U.N. rights body began its annual five-week session on Monday.
Ruters contributed to this report.