The war between Russia and Ukraine entered the 42nd day on Wednesday and the United States and its allies were set to impose new sanctions on Moscow over the alleged civilian killings in northern Ukraine. The US also pushed the UN General Assembly to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council based on Ukraine’s accusations against Russian troops.
At the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky described the killings in Bucha as “war crimes” by Russia demanding commensurate punishment, while the latter vehemently denied it, calling the allegations a “monstrous forgery” aimed at denigrating the Russian army. India also condemned the killings of civilians in the Kyiv region and called for an independent investigation. A Ukrainian human rights ombudswoman noted that between 150 and 300 bodies may be in a mass grave by a church in the town of Bucha. Meanwhile, the European Union (EU), in response to the killings, proposed a ban on Russian coal imports and blocking the country’s ships from all European ports. The proposal now awaits unanimous approval by the 27-member states of the bloc.
