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Moscow urges int’l reaction to use of prohibited ammunition in Ukraine

Draft resolution got “some support” from U.N. Security Council members

© EPA/ITAR-TASS

UNITED NATIONS, June 12, /ITAR-TASS/. Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin urged the international community to react to the use of prohibited ammunition in Ukraine.

He spoke specifically of projectiles with white phosphorus used by the Ukrainian army.

“We think that the international community should pay attention to the use by Ukraine of prohibited ammunition in combat. This happened before too, and we are very much concerned about this,” he said on Thursday, June 12.

Churkin said this issue is addressed in the draft U.N. resolution on Ukraine proposed by Russia.

He said the draft resolution got “some support” from U.N. Security Council members. “We agreed to have a meeting at the level of experts tomorrow in order to complete this work as soon as possible,” the diplomat said.

The draft U.N. resolution on Ukraine proposed by Russia condemns attacks on residential quarters and civilian facilities in the east of the country and voices concern over the use of prohibited ammunition, including incendiary bombs, during the army operation.

The document urges all sides to refrain from actions that threaten the life and security of people and civilian infrastructure. It also calls for an immediate stop to all violence and for lasting ceasefire.

The draft also urges all sides to cooperate in order to implement the roadmap proposed by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for the resolution of the crisis in Ukraine.

The draft U.N. resolution on Ukraine is aimed at stopping the violence and supporting political efforts of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to resolve the crisis in that country, Churkin said.

The document will be officially circulated among the U.N. Security Council members immediately after the closed-door meeting on Iraq which is underway now.

“The draft resolution will aim to stop the violence and support the political efforts the OSCE has been undertaking in vain so far. We urge the U.N. Secretary-General to support them,” Churkin said.

He stressed that the adoption of the resolution would demonstrate the U.N. Security Council’s support for the crisis settlement efforts in Ukraine. “This is very important for us because the situation in deteriorating,” the diplomat said.

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