Meeting of the UN Security Council. Security Council meeting on Ukraine: the influx of weapons will contribute to escalation Peace and Security
Since the last briefing to the UN Security Council on the topic of arms supplies to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict zone three weeks ago, the provision of military assistance, as well as the transfer of weapons and ammunition to the Ukrainian armed forces, has continued in the context of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched by the Russian Federation in violation of the UN Charter and international law. Representative of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs Ivor Fung stated this at a Security Council meeting on Friday.
Control over arms supplies
Today’s meeting of the Security Council was convened at the initiative of Russia to discuss arms supplies to Ukraine. According to publicly available information, the UN spokesman said, these shipments included heavy conventional weapons such as tanks, armored vehicles, combat aircraft, helicopters, large-caliber artillery systems, missile systems and unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as remote-controlled munitions and small arms. In addition, there are reports that individual states are transferring or planning to transfer drones, ballistic missiles and other munitions to the Russian military, and that these weapons are already in use in Ukraine.
“Any transfer of arms and ammunition must be carried out within the framework of international law, including relevant Security Council resolutions,” Ivor Fung emphasized, adding that reports of the widespread use of anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions in Ukraine.
The influx of arms and ammunition into any armed conflict can contribute to escalation and pose a significant risk of diversion and proliferation even after the conflict ends, said a representative of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs. According to him, to prevent further growth of instability in Ukraine, measures must be taken to eliminate the risk of weapons and ammunition leaking to unauthorized end users. Such efforts will also be key to post-conflict reconstruction. Preventing the diversion of weapons and ammunition requires supply chain transparency, multilateral cooperation and information sharing among importing countries.
New casualty figures
Since 24 February 2022, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has confirmed 31,366 civilian casualties in Ukraine – 10,810 killed and 20,556 injured. The actual figures are likely to be significantly higher, Ivor Fung said. The vast majority of civilian casualties are caused by the use of wide-area explosives in populated areas. in populated areas, as such tactics are likely to result in indiscriminate harm.
“The United Nations will continue to work to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine in accordance with international law , including the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly,” Ivor Fung summarized his speech.