Escalating Russian Federation Attacks on Ukraine’s Energy Sector Worsen Dire Humanitarian Situation Ahead of Winter, Security Council Hears in Briefing
With the onset of winter and ongoing Russian Federation attacks on critical infrastructure, Ukrainians are facing a worsening humanitarian situation and limited access to basic services, the Security Council heard today in a meeting focusing on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.
Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, said that winter’s arrival and intensifying Russian Federation attacks on the country’s energy facilities “are worsening the dire humanitarian conditions across the country”. He noted daily reports of attacks on Ukraine’s critical civilian infrastructure, many resulting in civilian casualties, and an escalation of strikes on populated areas.
"Much like last year, the year 2023 has been devastating for the people of Ukraine,” he said, adding, “if urgent steps are not taken to reverse this trajectory, next year may be even more unpredictable and destructive.” He underscored that the lasting impact of the war on Ukrainian’s mental health will “be felt for decades” and the consequences of disruptions to children’s access to basic health and education will last for years. He highlighted the Russian Federation attacks on grain production and export facilities as well as the need to secure nuclear power sites.
Also briefing, Ramesh Rajasingham, Director of the Coordination Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said millions of Ukrainians are facing the prospect of another winter of severe hardship amid the impact of increased attacks on hospitals, electricity transmission systems, and gas and water supplies. “The deaths, injuries and level of destruction of vital civilian infrastructure is staggering,” he said. Many people have been left without access to heat, electricity and water, particularly in the east and south. “Amid freezing temperatures, this damage is particularly threatening the survival of the most vulnerable,” he added.
He highlighted the delivery of critical humanitarian aid so far this year, despite limited humanitarian access across the frontline. The Ukraine Humanitarian Response Plan has a “still substantial” $1.6 billion shortfall. Continued financial support is vital to sustain humanitarian operations into 2024 and as long as civilians endure the war’s terrible toll, he said.
In the ensuing debate, speakers noted the importance of humanitarian access in particular to Russian Federation-occupied areas, along with the targeting of civilian infrastructure, and global impacts, including on shipping of food supplies. Switzerland’s delegate was concerned at the lack of humanitarian access to Russian Federation-controlled Ukrainian territories, despite the immense need. Denmark’s representative urged full, unhindered humanitarian access, including to occupied areas.
The delegate of the United States recalled that, in 2022, the Russian Federation sought to destroy Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. “As we head to another cold winter, we expect that Russia will try again,” he said. He noted that Moscow has been undermining maritime security by threatening international shipping and attacking maritime infrastructure and pointed to daily drone attacks on Ukraine’s ports and grain facilities. A resumption of the Black Sea Initiative should be reconsidered to serve as a credible and meaningful step towards dialogue for the greater good, Mozambique’s delegate said. He added that political negotiations and confidence-building measures are crucial and urgent, and emphasized the need for a constructive approach focusing on mutual benefits.
The representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, said, “intentional attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure add to the growing evidence of war crimes,” as reported by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine. “Russia and its leadership must be held fully accountable.” The Union is intensifying the provision of humanitarian and civil protection assistance to Ukraine, including equipment such as power generators and mobile heating stations, as people face winter.
The representative of the Russian Federation said it is curious that Western countries “are still continuing to pump taxpayers’ money into a terribly corrupt criminal Kyiv regime”. If Ukrainians really are in such a ghastly situation, as our Western countries say, then Kyiv would not be able to export grain to countries in such enormous quantities, he said.
Ukraine’s delegate highlighted the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war. He emphasized that the return and repatriation of Ukrainian children who were illegally deported or forcibly displaced by Moscow remains one of the most pressing challenges. He announced that an inaugural meeting of the International Coalition of Countries for the Return of Ukrainian Children will be held in Kyiv on 8 December.
MAINTENANCE OF PEACE AND SECURITY OF UKRAINE
Briefings
MIROSLAV JENČA, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, highlighted that the arrival of winter in Ukraine and intensifying Russian Federation attacks on the country’s energy facilities “are worsening the dire humanitarian conditions across the country”. He noted daily reports of attacks on Ukraine’s critical civilian infrastructure, many resulting in civilian casualties. Since the war’s start, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has verified 10,065 civilians killed and 18,679 injured. “The actual figures are likely considerably higher.” Most civilian casualties were caused by shelling and multiple-launch rocket systems in areas near the front line, however, attacks have recently escalated on populated areas nationwide. He noted that, on 25 November, Kyiv came under the most significant drone attack in months. Explosive remnants of war and mines continue to have a significant impact on civilians and their livelihoods, more so in rural areas and agricultural lands. Those killed 31 people and injured 98 since August. “All attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure must stop immediately. They are prohibited under international humanitarian law and are simply unacceptable,” he said.
He noted that 10 million people have been forced to flee their homes, including 3.7 million internally displaced. “The full lasting toll of this devastating war on the civilian population is beyond measure,” he said. The war’s impact on Ukrainian’s mental health will be felt for decades. Children face major disruptions in access to basic health and education, which will impact their lives for years. Only half the 3.9 million children in the territory under Ukraine’s control have attended school in person full-time since the start of the school year. Women in Ukraine face a heightened risk of sexual and gender-based violence. Increased poverty rates caused by the war also affect women more than men, who face a greater amount of domestic and unpaid care work due to family separation, lack of childcare facilities and school closures. And most front-line workers, volunteers and first responders in Ukraine are women.
All four of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants remain at risk, he said. On Saturday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant — Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, located dangerously close to the front line — suffered a complete off-site power outage. This was the eighth time since the start of the invasion. Last Wednesday, the IAEA team at the Khmelnitsky Nuclear Power Plant in western Ukraine reported hearing several explosions close to the plant. The plant was not directly affected. “All nuclear sites must be able to operate safely and must be protected to avoid potentially catastrophic consequences.”
“Despite the reports of increasing shipments in the Black Sea, the war continues to pose significant risks to civilian navigation and to Ukraine’s grain export capacity,” he went on. Since 11 July, OHCHR has recorded 32 attacks that damaged or destroyed grain production and export facilities in the territory of Ukraine under Ukrainian control. Russian Federation attacks hit port facilities, grain silos and vehicles for transporting grain. Most were in the Odessa region, where the Black Sea and Danube River ports are located. These attacks substantially reduced Ukraine’s capacity to export food. With so many facilities damaged, and export routes curtailed, the cost of logistics is rising. "Much like last year, the year 2023 has been devastating for the people of Ukraine. If urgent steps are not taken to reverse this trajectory, next year may be even more unpredictable and destructive.” He called for Member States to lay the groundwork for peace.
RAMESH RAJASINGHAM, Director of the Coordination Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, speaking via videoconference on behalf of the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, said civilians in Ukraine continue to pay a heavy price for this war. Millions of children, women and men are now faced with the prospect of yet another winter of severe hardship amid the impact of increased attacks on hospitals, electricity transmission systems, and gas and water supplies. “The deaths, injuries and level of destruction of vital civilian infrastructure is staggering,” he said. Many people have been left without access to heat, electricity and water, particularly in the east and south. “Amid freezing temperatures, this damage is particularly threatening the survival of the most vulnerable,” including the elderly and those with disabilities, who are already suffering because of disruption to essential services caused by the war, he added.
International humanitarian law is very clear, stating that attacks must never be directed against civilians or civilian objects and constant care must be taken to spare them at all times, he said. He noted that, so far in 2023, almost 560 humanitarian partners, the majority local organizations, have provided life-critical aid and protection services to more than 10 million people. In recent weeks, humanitarians have provided more than 361,000 people with some form of direct winter assistance, including winter heating, repair and maintenance of energy and heating systems and much-needed home repair materials. Similar efforts continue across Ukraine. Last week, a landmark 100th interagency convoy for 2023 reached Chasiv Yar. Throughout the year, these convoys have provided critical assistance to almost 400,000 people in hard-hit front-line communities, substantially buttressed by deliveries from smaller individual organizations, despite a lack of humanitarian access across the front line, he said. He underscored that, under international humanitarian law, humanitarian access must be allowed and facilitated for all civilians in need, no matter where they live.
He highlighted that a major concern for front-line communities is landmines and other unexploded ordnance, which are “causing tragic avoidable casualties and significantly hindering community recovery”. Humanitarian mine action is critical to prevent further civilian casualties, especially among children, he added. On financing, he said the Ukraine Humanitarian Response Plan has received $2.3 billion of the $3.9 billion required in 2023, “but the $1.6 billion shortfall is still substantial”. He said continued financial support is critical to sustain humanitarian operations to the end of 2023, into 2024, and while civilians endure the war’s terrible toll.
Despite continued attacks, exports from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports through new corridors announced in August have steadily increased, he said. The UN estimates that some 7 million metric tons of commodities have been transported through these corridors, of which around 70 per cent are understood to be grains and other foodstuffs. With other routes, the overall volume of foodstuffs exported from Ukraine last month was comparable to November 2022, he noted. However, significant risks due to air strikes and sea mines remain, and Ukraine’s deep-sea ports continue to operate significantly below their potential capacity. High levels of agricultural exports from the Russian Federation continue, primarily via the Black Sea. Last month, the Russian Federation reported the transport of a first tranche of a total 200,000 metric tons of grain donations pledged to six African countries. He said it is imperative to ensure all sources of food exports are safely and sustainably connected to global supply chains, which the Secretary-General actively supports. While attacks continue, so will devastation, misery and ripple effects globally, he said.
Statements
NICOLAS DE RIVIÈRE (France) said that, as the Russian Federation continues its war of aggression against Ukraine for a second winter, flouting international humanitarian law, structural and humanitarian costs are rising. Worse, drone strikes are decimating civilian infrastructure, leaving civilians vulnerable to glacial winter temperatures. Last winter, more than 12 million people were left without electricity. Calling on the Russian Federation to allow humanitarian access to the regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia, he lamented that it continues to hold world food security hostage by pulling out of the Black Sea Initiative and attacking food infrastructure in Ukraine. France will continue to support grain exports through the “Grain from Ukraine” initiative, as well as a €3 million contribution to facilitate grain delivery to countries impacted by the food crisis, including Sudan, Somalia and Yemen. France also will continue to stand by Ukraine as it exercises its legitimate right to defence.
ROBERT A. WOOD (United States) said that, since February 2022, the Russian Federation’s war of aggression has resulted in the death of more than 10,000 people and caused a humanitarian crisis with consequences far beyond Europe. “Russia hopes people will believe their lies if repeated [so] much,” he stressed, underscoring that, to end the war, Moscow must cease its aggression and withdraw from Ukraine’s internationally recognized territories. Recalling that, in 2022, the Russian Federation sought to destroy Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, he added: “As we head to another cold winter, we expect that Russia will try again.” He noted that Moscow has been undermining maritime security by threatening international shipping and attacking maritime infrastructure, also pointing to daily drone attacks on Ukraine’s ports and grain facilities. Due to its disregard for safety and freedom of the seas, the Russian Federation has failed to be re-elected to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Council since 1960, he added.
ALBANA DAUTLLARI (Albania) said the impact of Moscow’s unjustified military aggression is on a scale beyond what Europe has seen this century. Millions of people do not have access to basic services, including water, electricity and heating, while food supplies are running low. “With no prospect to ending this war, we fear that millions of people will remain internally displaced in Ukraine in 2024, with close to 6 million refugees outside the country.” A total of 512 children have been killed and more than 1,152 injured in Ukraine since the Russian Federation’s invasion started. Moscow has forcibly transferred up to 1.6 million Ukrainian refugees to the Russian Federation. “Forcible transfers are a war crime under international law.” She commended Ukraine’s efforts to continue exporting grain. “Russia must stop the war it started without any justification, it must stop its aggression that is deliberately destroying its neighbor,” she stated.
GENG SHUANG (China) called for the international community and humanitarian agencies to step up their relief efforts to help people in conflict areas survive the winter in Ukraine. He noted the negative impact of geopolitical conflicts on the global economy. He said the prolongation of the war “is not in the interests of any party”. The international community should make joint efforts to minimize the negative spillover effects of this crisis to maintain global food energy and financial security, and ensure the stability and smooth flow of global industrial and supply chains. He said his country stands on the side of peace and dialogue, and calls for peace talks to end the war. His country will continue to work with all parties for a political settlement, he added.
MICHEL XAVIER BIANG (Gabon) said that millions of people in Ukraine are in need of humanitarian aid, while of the $3.9 billion required, only $2.2 billion has been received. Thus, 44 per cent of funding still needs to be found to cover current needs. “It is important to recall that war is not something that operates in a legal vacuum. Warring parties are obliged to uphold their commitments pursuant to international humanitarian law,” he said, expressing alarm by the attacks against health-care infrastructure, educational establishments and agricultural facilities. Such attacks are unacceptable. It is urgent to increase the protection of energy facilities, he said, citing an interruption in the power supply to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant which narrowly avoided a fatal catastrophe. All parties should invest in the search for a diplomatic solution.
ADRIAN DOMINIK HAURI (Switzerland) said it is essential to continue supporting humanitarian actions and early recovery projects in Ukraine. Nearly 18 million people depend on them, with the oncoming winter and renewed Russian Federation attacks on essential infrastructure having a major impact. He expressed concern at the lack of humanitarian access to Russian Federation-controlled Ukrainian territories, despite an immense need. Switzerland is contributing to the UN's Winter Response Plan, providing winter aid. He called for the protection of civilians, with at least 10,000 already killed since February 2022. He highlighted ongoing Russian Federation air strikes and daily reports of attacks on civilian infrastructure across Ukraine. He said food security in Ukraine and worldwide must be strengthened. He welcomed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's "Grain from Ukraine" initiative, the Black Sea humanitarian corridor, and the UN's efforts for unhindered exports, stressing the importance of the European Union-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes. “Humanitarian efforts, the protection of civilians and global food security must be at the top of the international agenda,” he said.
SÉRGIO FRANÇA DANESE (Brazil), expressing concern over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and continued loss of civilian lives, stressed that all parties should de-escalate hostilities and prioritize civilian protection. Noting that the conflict directly impacts international food security by disrupting major grain supplies, he urged the parties to ensure the safe passage of grain exports. He also expressed support for the resumption of the Black Sea Initiative as a critical step in mitigating food-security risks. Welcoming efforts towards the search for peace, he called on the countries concerned to engage in pragmatic negotiations with the support of third parties. “Brazil believes that there is always room for peace,” he said, underscoring that, through concerted actions, the international community can and should play a decisive role in guiding the parties towards a peaceful solution.
BARBARA WOODWARD (United Kingdom) said that over 17 million Ukrainians need humanitarian assistance, as the Russian Federation targets the country’s civilian infrastructure during winter. She commended the work of Ukrainian organizations and volunteer networks providing life-saving humanitarian support. “Russia continues to deny and block humanitarian access to millions of Ukrainians living in the territories temporarily under Russia’s control,” she said, calling on the Russian Federation to comply fully with its obligations under international humanitarian law. She welcomed a maritime corridor in the Black Sea, which has enabled Ukraine to supply 5 million tons of grain to global markets. Stressing that the Russian Federation has caused humanitarian suffering through its invasion of Ukraine, she urged Moscow to end its war now by withdrawing from Ukraine’s internationally recognized territory.
CAROLYN ABENA ANIMA OPPONG-NTIRI (Ghana), noting that, as the situation in the Middle East commands global attention, the prevailing conditions in Ukraine require the international community’s undiminished support to “help turn the bend from the ravages of war to a constructive engagement for the peace”. Concerned over the persisting military contestations across many front lines, she said that winter conditions have minimized the coping capacity of affected populations, especially, women, young children, the aged and the sick. “All sides must endeavour to comply with the principles of distinction, proportionality and military necessity to avoid causing harm to innocent people,” she said, adding that violence is not the answer and the time to end the war is past due. Only through diplomacy and dialogue will a lasting and comprehensive settlement be found.
DOMINGOS ESTÊVÃO FERNANDES (Mozambique) said “the primary outcome of this conflict is the enormous human suffering”, including internal displacement and food insecurity. The conflict is a serious threat to international peace and security, he added. Sadly, the possibility for peace becomes increasingly illusionary the longer the conflict persists, he said. Adding that the situation on the ground worsens with local, regional and international impacts, he stressed that a military solution is not viable. Violence against civilians, restrictions on freedom of movement and economic decline are all putting huge strains on common capacities. He highlighted that the economic situation is dire and winter will bring more challenges. A resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative should be reconsidered to serve as a credible and meaningful step towards dialogue for the greater good. He said political negotiations and confidence-building measures are crucial and urgent, emphasizing the need for a constructive approach focusing on mutual benefits.
YAMANAKA OSAMU (Japan), noting that the Russian Federation’s attacks against energy facilities could force civilians to make difficult choices between “warmth and other essential services” throughout the coming months, stressed: “We cannot tolerate weaponizing winter again.” Recalling that, in September, Japan provided two autotransformers to Ukraine, he said that it plans to provide 10 more to reinforce power supply. The country is also aiming to provide three gas turbines by the end of 2023, with two more in the procurement process, he added, observing that these autotransformers and gas turbines will benefit 5.5 million Ukrainians. Also noting that the civilian death toll has exceeded 10,000, including more than 560 children, he added: “Why do we have to observe such a grim milestone? Why did those innocent people have to die?” Without Moscow’s war of aggression, the Council would not have to face these questions, he said.
DMITRY A. POLYANSKIY (Russian Federation) underscored his country’s fundamental disagreement with the excessive number of delegations at the Security Council meeting. Just two speeches by the European Union and Ukraine would be enough, he said, as was wisely done by the Chinese presidency in November. He said this meeting, called by Western countries, is cynical because these very countries are stubbornly not seeing the unfolding real humanitarian disaster caused by Israel in the Gaza Strip. He also said that, in April 2022, then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the head of American Pentagon, Lloyd Austin, managed to dissuade the head of the Kyiv regime to sign an already initialled draft peace agreement with the Russian Federation. “As recognized by the former German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and the former French President [François] Hollande, they armed Ukraine and prepared it for war with Russia under the cover of the Minsk agreements for seven years.” Continuing, he cited Ukrainian media reports about a group of 17-year-olds from an orphanage, who were trained, supposedly, to be used exclusively in rear areas, but one of them died at the frontline. “In a word, Zelenskyy and his lapdogs are developing a kind of “Hitler Youth,” just like the head of the Third Reich did before his inevitable ghastly end in May 1945,” he said. “It is curious as to when Western colleagues will recognize this; they are still continuing to pump taxpayers’ money into a terribly corrupt criminal Kyiv regime,” he noted. If Ukrainians really are in such a ghastly situation, as our Western countries are saying, then Kyiv would not be able to export grain to countries in such enormous quantities, he concluded.
FRANCESCA MARIA GATT (Malta) condemned the Russian Federation’s recent attack on Kherson and said that its war of aggression against Ukraine continues to aggravate global food security, with one in five Ukrainian families facing hunger. Recalling that the export of Ukrainian grain cargoes to countries of Asia, Africa and Europe has been reduced by almost 3 million tons per month, she said this is exacerbating the worldwide food crisis. “There have been threats to attack cargo vessels in the ports of the Black Sea,” she said, adding that these actions significantly jeopardize the safety of maritime transportation and hinder commercial activities. She urged Moscow to fully comply with its international obligations, ensure the freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and cease all hostilities in hopes of securing a just and lasting peace.
SHAHD JAMAL YOUSUF IBRAHIM MATAR (United Arab Emirates), spotlighting consequences of the war in Ukraine, expressed concern about the long-term repercussions of the conflict, especially on children. Some 3,800 educational buildings have been destroyed or damaged, she said, lamenting that an entire generation’s right to education is threatened. Also voicing concern over attacks on health facilities near the front lines, she noted that more than half the attacks targeting health care facilities globally between 2022 and October 2023 occurred in Ukraine. With attacks on health facilities in Gaza, that number will continue to rise, she added, calling on all parties to conflict worldwide to comply with international humanitarian law. “The suffering of civilians has exceeded what can be tolerated or contained,” she said, stressing the urgency of finding a path to peace in Ukraine and other conflict-affected countries worldwide through dialogue and political solutions. Her country urges all parties to cooperate in ending the war, thus restoring Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty.
JOSÉ JAVIER DE LA GASCA LOPEZDOMINGUEZ (Ecuador), Council President for December, speaking in his national capacity, called on the parties to protect humanitarian workers and on the Russian Federation to facilitate safe humanitarian access in the areas under its temporary occupation, even more so as winter approaches and the population suffers from a lack of access to basic services, including water, sanitation and health services. Regrettably, attacks on grain infrastructure have increased. He also is concerned about the situation of girls and boys, those fleeing war, displaced or refugees, and those who living with daily violence, without access to health and education services, which will be exacerbated by winter. He called for upholding the rights of minors who were transferred and for their return to be facilitated. He urged the Council to reiterate its support for the work of the Secretary-General on the humanitarian level and for peace.
SERGIY KYSLYTSYA (Ukraine) said that, since the beginning of the large-scale invasion on his country, more than 114,000 violations of laws and customs of war on Ukraine’s territory have been documented. Highlighting the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war, he drew attention to the massacre in the penal colony of Olenivka in July 2022. “Putin’s envoy tried to shift the responsibility for this crime onto Ukraine’s soldiers,” he noted, pointing to the “typical propagandistic refrain about Ukrainians killing Ukrainians”. Noting that the Russian Federation is stepping up its bombing, he reported that, on 25 November, it used 75 Iranian drones and one Kh-59 missile. He also recalled that, on 30 November, Moscow attacked the municipality of Novogrodivka and two other villages in the Donetsk region with six S-300 missiles that destroyed a residential building and caused casualties. Over a period of 11 months in 2023, 59,000 shelling incidents have been reported in 24 regions of Ukraine, causing 2,000 dead and 11 injured.
Emphasizing that the return and repatriation of Ukrainian children who were illegally deported or forcibly displaced by Moscow continues to be one of the most pressing challenges, he announced that an inaugural meeting of the International Coalition of Countries for the Return of Ukrainian Children will be held in Kyiv on 8 December. He also noted that the “presence of Putin’s Russia” in the Security Council has turned the effectiveness of the international framework into a common challenge, adding: “It gives Russia more power to instigate conflicts in various countries.” In this regard, he called for the “resignation of the aggressor State” to “detoxify the working environment”. “The time has come for a serious debate regarding the presence of Putin’s delegate in this Chamber.”
CHRISTINA MARKUS LASSEN (Denmark) speaking also on behalf of Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, said that Moscow’s war of aggression against Ukraine continues to cause immeasurable suffering. She called for full, unhindered humanitarian access to Ukraine, including to areas occupied by the Russian Federation. Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law. Welcoming the “Grain from Ukraine” initiative, she reaffirmed the Nordic countries’ support for humanitarian food assistance globally. The group reaffirms its strongest condemnation of Moscow’s war in Ukraine, she said, lamenting that a permanent Council member is waging an illegal war, producing serious consequences worldwide and challenging the Council’s legitimacy. The countries support Ukraine’s Peace Formula, she said, welcoming global support for a just, lasting peace in the country. “Russia must immediately and unconditionally withdraw its troops from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders” she concluded.
JOANNA SYLWIA SKOCZEK (Poland), aligning herself with the European Union, emphasized that, for almost 10 years, Ukraine has contended with the Russian Federation’s aggression, which has resulted in mounting civilian casualties and enormous material destruction. “We deplore Russia’s attacks and call for accountability for violations of international law committed in Ukraine by the Russian Federation,” she said. Her country has become the main support gateway for Ukraine, she added, as over 17.6 million people there need various forms of humanitarian assistance, since Moscow’s aggression has turned Ukrainians from suppliers to recipients of aid. Poland has supported Ukraine since the beginning of the war and will continue to do so, by hosting and providing support to the biggest community of Ukrainian refugees; operating as a hub for transferring international humanitarian aid through its land border with Ukraine; and delivering humanitarian aid directly in Ukraine.
HEDDA SAMSON, Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, said the Russian Federation’s targeting of Ukrainian critical infrastructure is unacceptable and must stop, as must its ongoing systematic air strikes against civilian objects. “Such intentional attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure add to the growing evidence of war crimes,” as reported by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine. “Russia and its leadership must be held fully accountable,” she said. The Union is intensifying the provision of humanitarian and civil protection assistance to Ukraine, including equipment such as power generators and mobile heating stations, as people face winter.
She condemned the destruction and illegal appropriation by the Russian Federation of agricultural production in Ukraine. In response, the European Union has stepped up its aid, providing 785 million euros in support of those most vulnerable in Ukraine, especially in hard-to-reach areas. She stressed the importance of security, stability and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, which is vital for sustainable food exports. She supports all efforts to facilitate exports of Ukraine’s grain and other agricultural products to the countries most in need, notably in Africa and the Middle East. The Union is enhancing its Solidarity Lanes to facilitate transit and export via land and maritime routes to world markets.
SANITA PAVĻUTA-DESLANDES (Latvia), also speaking on behalf of Estonia and Lithuania, strongly condemned the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine, calling on it to immediately withdraw its troops and military equipment from Ukraine’s entire territory. “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, enabled by Belarus, is a flagrant violation of the UN Charter and international law,” she stressed, adding that violations by Moscow create mistrust and doubt about the credibility and effectiveness of the UN and the international rules-based system. She also called for the establishment of a special international tribunal to ensure justice, as impunity for war crimes cannot be tolerated. Recalling increased shelling of Ukrainian civilians and attempts to destroy civilian infrastructure, she spotlighted the largest drone attack launched on Kyiv in a six-hour air raid on 25 November 2023, using 75 Shahed drones. “Drones caused serious damage and electricity line shutdowns while the winter is setting in,” she emphasized, adding that, on the same day, the world commemorated the ninetieth anniversary of Holodomor, the man-made famine in Soviet Ukraine from 1932 to 1933, honouring all victims of this artificially provoked hunger.
“Today we are witnessing once again Russia's crimes against the Ukrainian people by using food as a weapon,” she said, referring to Moscow’s shelling of Ukrainian grain storage, energy infrastructure and trade routes, as well as contaminating Ukrainian agricultural land and blatantly stealing Ukrainian grain. Such acts have a global impact, as the shortage of Ukrainian produce is particularly felt by countries facing food insecurity. The three Baltic States affirm solidarity with Ukraine and readiness to support it politically, economically, financially and militarily for as long as it takes, she stressed, urging the international community to stand together against Moscow’s attack on the principles and norms of the international law.