New York - Moscow: Europe and the Arabs - Agencies
Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzia, threatened at a UN Security Council meeting that grain warehouses and ports in Ukraine would be destroyed if they were used to store military equipment.
Nebenzia added, according to the Russia Today satellite channel on Tuesday, that his country confirms once again that it does not strike civilian targets and does not target civilians, noting that “high-precision weapons are used exclusively to destroy the military capabilities of the Zelensky regime and objects associated with it,” according to what was reported. Middle East News Agency
The authorities of Odessa District - southern Ukraine - had previously reported damage to port infrastructure sites and the suspension of the work of a river crossing as a result of explosions.
On September 25, the Ukrainian military said that in the Odessa region, as a result of night explosions, the naval station was “virtually destroyed,” and the granary was damaged.
Russian forces began bombing Ukrainian infrastructure sites on October 10, 2022, two days after the attack on the Crimean Bridge, as Russian strikes target energy facilities, the defense industry, military leadership, and communications throughout Ukraine.
In the same context, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, renewed the United Nations’ condemnation of attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. According to what was stated in the daily news bulletin of the United Nations
In her briefing to the Security Council yesterday, Monday, via video, DiCarlo said, “We will not tire of condemning these attacks. We will not deviate from demanding that anyone responsible for harming civilians during hostilities be held accountable.”
She stressed that civilians and civilian infrastructure have remained “in the line of fire” in recent weeks, referring to the attack on the village of Horuzha in Kharkiv region, which resulted in the deaths of at least 52 people “in one of the bloodiest raids since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February.” February last year.
DiCarlo renewed the Secretary-General's condemnation of this "heinous attack."
She stated that since October 8, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has documented the killing of 9,806 civilians, including 560 children, due to the war in Ukraine, as well as the injury of 17,962, including 1,196 children, noting that the number is likely higher than that and will continue to increase if Existing patterns continued.

It also expressed its concern about renewed attacks against energy infrastructure in Ukraine.

"Gloomy picture"
The UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs touched on the report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation in Ukraine, saying that it paints “a bleak picture of serious human rights violations across the country, most of which are attributed to the Russian armed forces.”

She added that these violations include acts of conflict-related sexual violence, which are believed to have been committed by members of the Russian armed forces and Russian prison services.

DiCarlo stressed that Russia must, under international law, “investigate and prosecute possible war crimes and serious human rights violations committed by its forces in Ukraine.”

She also referred to the findings of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, in its latest update, regarding the continued systematic and widespread use of torture, reiterating its deep concern “about the scale and seriousness of the violations committed by the Russian armed forces in Ukraine.”

Actions, not words
The UN official also spoke about the spread of the impact of the war in Ukraine, especially in the Black Sea, where there are reports of widespread use of sea mines that could threaten civilian navigation.
“A military incident in the Black Sea, whether intentional or accidental, could further destabilize the region,” DiCarlo said, calling for “restraint to avoid any action that could exacerbate the already volatile situation.”
The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Peacebuilding stressed that the solution to ending the war lies in adhering to the basic commitment, “through actions, not words,” to the principles of the United Nations Charter - which were reaffirmed during the activities of the United Nations General Assembly - including respect for the sovereignty and independence of member states. and the integrity of its lands.
She added, "We have no choice but to continue trying to stop the slide toward more destruction and suffering.",