UN / UKRAINE
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STORY: UN / UKRAINE
TRT: 06:25
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / CHINESE / NATS
DATELINE: 20 DECEMBER 2024, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, United Nations headquarters
20 DECEMBER 2024, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs:
“Between 24 February 2022 and 30 November 2024, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded over 12,340 civilians killed and more than 27,836 civilians injured in Ukraine. The same office notes that 42 per cent of casualties in Ukraine in November resulted from the use of long range weapons launched by the Russian Federation, a significant increase from previous months.
4. Wide shot, Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs:
“According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine verified data, aerial bombs killed 341 civilians and injured 1,803 from 1 January through 30 November 2024, a threefold increase in fatalities and a sixfold increase in injuries from aerial bombs compared to 2023.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert Wood, Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs, United States:
“Russia is violating resolutions of this council, which it voted for, resolutions ment to keep a rogue nation from acquiring nuclear weapons. Nearly three years ago, we sat with the Russians in this chamber urging de-escalation, negotiations, peace talks, anything but war. The Kremlin did not listen then, because Putin does not listen to the words spoken. In that regard, I have to refer to another permanent member of this Council. China's support for Russia is in clear contradiction to the principles of the UN Charter. China has said in this council that sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected. But if China were serious about that, it would use its influence to stop Russia from violating Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
8. Wide shot, Security Council
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert Wood, Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs, United States:
“Russia listens only to strength and action, something we collectively lacked when Russia invaded Crimea and when it invaded Georgia before that, appeasement didn't work then, and it won't work now. That is why the United States, and our partners will continue supporting Ukraine and the UN charter's fundamental principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
10. Wide shot, Security Council
11. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“If the United States had not supported the coup d'etat in Kyiv in 2014, not sponsored it, not made Ukraine into an anti-Russia. Had they not allowed Ukraine, the Kyiv regime, to undermine the Minsk agreement, which was something that was announced openly, by the politicians who were supposed to be the guarantors of the agreement, then wouldn’t be no war at all. The Crimea would not have happened.”
12. Wide shot, Security Council
13. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“On the 18th of December in Moscow, there was an explosion, as a result of which the Head of the radiation, chemical and biological defense forces was killed, Mr. Kirilov was killed, and his assistants. And this was done at the behest of Kiev regime. The next day, the perpetrator of this act of terror was apprehended, and he confirmed that he had been recruited by the Ukrainian special services. This crime supports fully the inhumane and terroristic essence of the current Kyiv authorities.”
14. Wide shot, Security Council
15. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Geng Shuang, Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, China:
“The current situation regarding the Ukraine issue is changing both parties to the conflict have released the political signals to the outside world, clearly expressing their willingness to engage in negotiations. The international community's discussions are increasingly geared towards negotiations and adding closer to peace. This fully demonstrates that the momentum for ceasefire and end to the wall and the restoration of peace is giving up. We hope that the United States will face up to the changes in the situation, stop clamoring for war, stop obstructing the efforts of the international community for peace, and come to the right track of promoting a political settlement to the crisis at an early date.”
16. Wide shot, Security Council
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Sergiy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ukraine:
“We have already drawn the Council's attention to the clear correlation between Russian attacks on Ukraine's civilian infrastructure and Russia-initiated Council meetings. This correlation has been registered in at least 18 cases.”
18. Wide shot, Security Council
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Sergiy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ukraine:
“This morning, Russia has once again prefaced a Security Council meeting with air terror against Ukrainian cities including Kyiv, Kherson and Kryvyi Rih. In Kyiv alone, five ballistic missiles - Iskanders, or North Korean KN-23 and 40 drones of Iranian origin were launched.”
20. Wide shot, Security Council
21. SOUNDBITE (English) Sergiy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ukraine:
“Residential areas in the central districts, a business center, the iconic St. Nicholas Cathedral - one of the city's architectural landmarks - and energy infrastructure, sustained damage and destruction. Diplomatic missions of Albania, Argentina, North Macedonia, Portugal, Montenegro and Palestine were also damaged. Tragically, the attack resulted in casualties and injuries.”
22. Wide shot, Security Council
23. SOUNDBITE (English) Sergiy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ukraine:
“To the regular flood of lies and disinformation that I mentioned earlier in my statement Putin's envoy has added today crocodile tears about human suffering and destruction. I remind in this regard, that there is a simple way for Russia to end sufferings and destruction caused by the war - to end the war itself.”
24. Wide shot, end of Security Council
Izumi Nakamitsu, the UN's High Representative for Disarmament Affairs told the Security Council, “42 percent of casualties in Ukraine in November resulted from the use of long-range weapons launched by the Russian Federation, a significant increase from previous months.”
She also provided the Security Council today (Dec 20) an overview of the human impact of the war in Ukraine, saying, “Between 24 February 2022 and 30 November 2024, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded over 12,340 civilians killed and more than 27,836 civilians injured in Ukraine.”
Nakamitsu also highlighted a notable surge in aerial bomb casualties. “According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine verified data, aerial bombs killed 341 civilians and injured 1,803 from 1 January through 30 November 2024,” she said. This marked “a threefold increase in fatalities and a sixfold increase in injuries from aerial bombs compared to 2023.”
U.S. Representative Robert Wood addressed Russia's actions and China's position on the conflict. “Russia is violating resolutions of this council, which it voted for, resolutions meant to keep a rogue nation from acquiring nuclear weapons,” he said. Wood referenced previous attempts to encourage diplomacy, stating, “Nearly three years ago, we sat with the Russians in this chamber urging de-escalation, negotiations, peace talks, anything but war. The Kremlin did not listen then, because Putin does not listen to the words spoken.”
Wood also commented on China's approach. “China's support for Russia is in clear contradiction to the principles of the UN Charter. China has said in this council that sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected. But if China were serious about that, it would use its influence to stop Russia from violating Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
He emphasized continued international support for Ukraine, adding, “Russia listens only to strength and action, something we collectively lacked when Russia invaded Crimea and when it invaded Georgia before that. Appeasement didn't work then, and it won't work now. That is why the United States, and our partners will continue supporting Ukraine and the UN Charter's fundamental principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Russia's Permanent Representative Vasily Nebenzya addressed the Council, placing responsibility on Western actions for the conflict's origins. “If the United States had not supported the coup d'état in Kyiv in 2014, not sponsored it, not made Ukraine into an anti-Russia… then there wouldn’t be war at all,” he said.
Nebenzya also referred to a recent incident in Moscow. “On the 18th of December in Moscow, there was an explosion, as a result of which the Head of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Forces Gen. Kirilov was killed, as well as his assistants.” He claimed Ukrainian involvement, stating, “This was done at the behest of the Kyiv regime. The next day, the perpetrator of this act of terror was apprehended, and he confirmed that he had been recruited by the Ukrainian special services.”
China’s Representative Geng Shuang emphasized the importance of negotiations and reducing hostilities. “The current situation regarding the Ukraine issue is changing. Both parties to the conflict have released political signals to the outside world, clearly expressing their willingness to engage in negotiations,” he said.
Geng Shuang noted a shift in international discussions. “This fully demonstrates that the momentum for a ceasefire and restoration of peace is growing,” he stated, calling on external actors to support diplomatic efforts. “We hope that the United States will face up to the changes in the situation, stop clamoring for war, stop obstructing the efforts of the international community for peace, and come to the right track of promoting a political settlement to the crisis at an early date.”
Ukraine's Permanent Representative Sergiy Kyslytsya addressed recent attacks on Ukrainian cities, pointing to a pattern of military escalation preceding key Security Council meetings. “We have already drawn the Council's attention to the clear correlation between Russian attacks on Ukraine's civilian infrastructure and Russia-initiated Council meetings. This correlation has been registered in at least 18 cases.”
He described the most recent wave of strikes. “This morning, Russia has once again prefaced a Security Council meeting with air terror against Ukrainian cities including Kyiv, Kherson, and Kryvyi Rih,” he said. “In Kyiv alone, five ballistic missiles—Iskanders, or North Korean KN-23—and 40 drones of Iranian origin were launched.”
Kyslytsya detailed the resulting damage. “Residential areas in the central districts, a business center, the iconic St. Nicholas Cathedral—one of the city's architectural landmarks—and energy infrastructure sustained damage and destruction. Diplomatic missions of Albania, Argentina, North Macedonia, Portugal, Montenegro, and Palestine were also damaged. Tragically, the attack resulted in casualties and injuries.”
He concluded by reiterating Ukraine's call for an end to hostilities. “To the regular flood of lies and disinformation that I mentioned earlier in my statement, Putin's envoy has added crocodile tears about human suffering and destruction. I remind in this regard that there is a simple way for Russia to end sufferings and destruction caused by the war—to end the war itself.”