Ukraine calls to bar Russia from UN peacekeeping roles: Reason revealed
Ukraine’s Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, Andrii Melnyk (Photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Russia must be removed from UN peacekeeping missions due to crimes against children in the war in Ukraine, states Ukraine’s Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, Andrii Melnyk.
The diplomat referred to a report on violations of children's rights in Ukraine since the full-scale war began. He noted that the number of such crimes has increased by 105%.
During the session, Melnyk called for the temporary suspension of Russia’s participation in peacekeeping missions until Russian forces are fully removed from these operations.
He also proposed implementing automatic sanctions against countries that violate children’s rights.
Deportation of Ukrainian children
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian forces have been mass deporting Ukrainian children to Belarus, Russia, and occupied Crimea.
According to Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, more than 19,500 children have been deported since the war began. Over a thousand young Ukrainians have been returned home.
Earlier, as part of the Ukrainian president’s initiative, Bring Kids Back UA, a 17-year-old boy was successfully returned.
The deportation of Ukrainian children was a key reason behind the International Criminal Court in The Hague issuing arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova.
