For the fourth consecutive year, Russia has been included in the United Nations list of states and groups responsible for severe violations against children during armed conflicts. This places Russia alongside organizations such as ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Hamas.
Ukrainian Ambassador to the UN, Andrii Melnyk, made this statement during a recent Security Council meeting, as reported by RBC-Ukraine.
Melnyk emphasized that Russia is part of an “exclusive club of child killers” and perpetrators of sexual violence linked to armed conflicts. He called for the removal of Russia from participation in UN peacekeeping operations.
“Do you feel comfortable sitting at the same table with a member state whose armed forces are responsible for confirmed large-scale and systematic war crimes against children, as well as for sexual violence? I do not. It disgusts me,” the diplomat stated.
He referenced the latest report from the UN Secretary-General, which indicated a 78% increase in the number of Ukrainian children killed and injured due to actions by Russian forces.
Moreover, the report noted that the number of attacks on schools and hospitals nearly doubled, while incidents of obstructing humanitarian aid surged more than eightfold.
According to UN data, last year alone, the Russian army and affiliated groups committed 1,899 confirmed serious violations of children’s rights in Ukraine. Consequently, the Secretary-General reiterated the inclusion of Russian forces in the so-called “list of shame.”
The UN has once again listed Russia for serious violations against children in conflict zones, highlighting a significant increase in reported incidents. The Ukrainian envoy has called for Russia's exclusion from UN peacekeeping efforts in light of these findings.