Russia isolated as UN council votes to probe rights abuses in Ukraine

"The message to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has been clear: You're isolated on a global level and the whole world is against you," Ukrainian ambassador Yevheniia Filipenko told reporters after the overwhelming vote.Only Russia itself and Eritrea voted against, while 13 countries abstained, including Moscow's traditional backers China, Venezuela and Cuba.The council in Geneva also condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the violations "resulting from the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine".Most importantly, Friday's vote opens the way to create an independent international commission of inquiry "to investigate all alleged violations and abuses... in the context of the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine."It calls for the appointment of three investigators to "establish the facts, circumstances, and root causes of any such violations and abuses," and to gather evidence "with a view to ensuring that those responsible are held accountable"."I thank all those who voted for the right cause," Filipenko said, calling for the investigation to start "as soon as possible, given the urgency of the situation".Flanked by many of her counterparts from across the globe, Filipenko celebrated that "the whole world is standing by Ukraine"."The vote was a powerful condemnation of Russia's actions," US ambassador Sheba Crocker said.Her British colleague Simon Manley hailed the "unprecedented show of unity of the international community."Russian ambassador Gennady Gatilov however said he did not believe Friday's council vote reflected "all the nuances" of the positions of countries who voted in favour or abstained."A number of countries were heavily pressed by the US and their Western allies.""Ukraine is sadly a victim and has been scapegoated in their overarching scheme of tightening the noose on Russia," the foreign ministry in Asmara said in a statement."The evidence is going to be collected. You're going to be identified and you're going to be held to account."Nonetheless, rights groups suggested the text should have gone further, and called for the investigation to extend to widespread abuses inside Russia itself. Asked about it, Filipenko stressed to reporters that "nothing is off the table"....

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March 04, 2022 at 10:58PM
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"The message to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has been clear: You're isolated on a global level and the whole world is against you," Ukrainian ambassador Yevheniia Filipenko told reporters after the overwhelming vote.Only Russia itself and Eritrea voted against, while 13 countries abstained, including Moscow's traditional backers China, Venezuela and Cuba.The council in Geneva also condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the violations "resulting from the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine".Most importantly, Friday's vote opens the way to create an independent international commission of inquiry "to investigate all alleged violations and abuses... in the context of the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine."It calls for the appointment of three investigators to "establish the facts, circumstances, and root causes of any such violations and abuses," and to gather evidence "with a view to ensuring that those responsible are held accountable"."I thank all those who voted for the right cause," Filipenko said, calling for the investigation to start "as soon as possible, given the urgency of the situation".Flanked by many of her counterparts from across the globe, Filipenko celebrated that "the whole world is standing by Ukraine"."The vote was a powerful condemnation of Russia's actions," US ambassador Sheba Crocker said.Her British colleague Simon Manley hailed the "unprecedented show of unity of the international community."Russian ambassador Gennady Gatilov however said he did not believe Friday's council vote reflected "all the nuances" of the positions of countries who voted in favour or abstained."A number of countries were heavily pressed by the US and their Western allies.""Ukraine is sadly a victim and has been scapegoated in their overarching scheme of tightening the noose on Russia," the foreign ministry in Asmara said in a statement."The evidence is going to be collected. You're going to be identified and you're going to be held to account."Nonetheless, rights groups suggested the text should have gone further, and called for the investigation to extend to widespread abuses inside Russia itself. Asked about it, Filipenko stressed to reporters that "nothing is off the table"....