The UK strongly condemns Russia’s latest mass strikes against Ukrainian cities: UK statement at the UN Security Council

The UK strongly condemns Russia’s latest mass strikes against Ukrainian cities: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.
The United Kingdom strongly condemns Russia’s latest mass strikes against Ukrainian cities, including the large-scale attack of 14-15 June, which killed at least 11 civilians.
That night, Russia launched 611 drones and 70 missiles against Ukraine, yet another escalation.
This included 40 ballistic and hypersonic missiles, making it the second largest such attack of this war, surpassed only by the 41 launched earlier this month.
These intensifying attacks have driven a sharp rise in civilian casualties.
In May, OCHA recorded the highest monthly total since the beginning of the war.
Casualty figures for June are on course to be even higher.
At this Council’s most recent meeting on Ukraine, I heard almost all colleagues express concern at this trajectory and the impact on civilians.
But Russia again rejected allegations of civilian harm and accused others of selective outrage.
As well as killing Ukrainian civilians on 14 June, Russian drones and missiles also damaged cultural heritage and identity, setting ablaze the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a site of profound religious and cultural significance, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Under international humanitarian law, Russia is obligated to protect such sites.
Russia has already sought to deflect responsibility, part of a familiar pattern of destruction, then denial, then disinformation.
It is hard not to view such attacks as an attempt to erase Ukrainian identity and culture.
That night, the Mystetskyi Arsenal Arts museum and the Oleksandra Dovzhenko national film studio were also hit.
And since 2022, UNESCO has verified damage to over 500 religious sites in Ukraine, 200 buildings of historic interest, as well as museums, monuments, theatres, and libraries.
This includes the devastating destruction of Odessa Cathedral in July 2023.
And yet Russia claims to protect religious communities.
Colleagues, hollow claims are a part of Russia’s modus operandi.
Despite its claims to have initiated the invasion to keep populations safe, one need look no further than the multiple reports of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine to see what Russia deems safe.
Reports of systematic torture of prisoners of war, deportation and forced transfer of children, attacks resulting in significant damage to schools and to hospitals.
These actions speak for themselves.
President, the international community has been loud and clear in calling for a ceasefire.
Enough is enough.