Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told the United Nations Security Council that “accountability must be inevitable” for Russia as he accused Russian troops of committing “the most terrible war crimes” since World War Two.
Zelenskiy showed a short video of burned, bloodied and mutilated bodies, including children, in Irpin, Dymerka, Mariupol and Bucha.He questioned the value of the 15-member U.N. Security Council, which has been unable to take any action over Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine because Moscow is a veto power, along with the United States, France, Britain and China.”We are dealing with a state that turns its veto at the U.N. Security Council into the right to (cause) death,” Zelenskiy said in a live video address, urging reform of the world body.”Russia wants to turn Ukraine into silent slaves.” Russia says it is carrying out a “special military operation” that aims to destroy Ukraine’s military infrastructure and “denazify” it, and denies attacking civilians. Ukraine says it was invaded without provocation.
U.N. political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo said the United Nations had received credible allegations “that Russian forces have used cluster munitions in populated areas at least 24 times.” She said allegations that Ukrainian forces have used such weapons were also being investigated.”Allegations of conflict-related sexual violence perpetrated by Russian forces have also emerged. These include gang rape and rapes in front of children,” she said. “There are also claims of sexual violence by Ukrainian forces and civil defense militias.” She said the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine was seeking to verify all allegations.U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the Security Council that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is one of the greatest challenges ever to the international order “because of its nature, intensity, and consequences.”
