MOSCOW, July 7. /TASS/. Russia strongly condemns UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ decision to add the Russian Armed Forces to the list of parties responsible for violations against children in Ukraine, which was attached to the report, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Friday.

The diplomat drew attention to the open debate on the protection of children in armed conflicts held by the United Nations Security Council on July 5, which was dedicated to the UN Secretary General’s annual report for 2022.

"We categorically denounce Guterres’ prejudiced political decision to add the Russian Armed Forces to the list of parties responsible for violations against children in Ukraine, which was attached to the report. The UN Secretariat disregarded the established practice of thoroughly verifying information, which is particularly important amid the avalanche of misinformation obtained from a wide range of pro-Western biased sources. Furthermore, it is puzzling that the Ukrainian armed forces are not on the list of violators, even though the UN officials attribute a significant number of killings and maimings of children, as well as attacks on schools and hospitals, to them," Zakharova said.