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STORY: UN / UKRAINE
TRT: 04:57
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / NATS
DATELINE: 19 MAY 2026, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, UN Headquarters
19 MAY 2026, NEW YORK CITY
2. Various shots, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Kayoko Gotoh, Director and Officer-in-Charge for Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, United Nations:
“Well into its fifth year, the war in Ukraine is becoming deadlier by the day. In the last week alone, we witnessed one of the largest aerial bombardments of Ukraine since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Between 13 and 14 May, the Russian Federation reportedly launched more than 1,500 drones and dozens of missiles targeting Ukrainian cities across the country.”
4. Wide shot, Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Kayoko Gotoh, Director and Officer-in-Charge for Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, United Nations:
“Last month alone, at least 238 civilians were killed and 1,404 injured in Ukraine. This represents the highest monthly number of civilian casualties recorded since July 2025. It also reflects a continuing pattern of rising civilian harm.”
6. Med shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Kayoko Gotoh, Director and Officer-in-Charge for Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, United Nations:
“Inside the Russian Federation, reported Ukrainian strikes have also led to increasing civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, including to residential buildings.”
8. Wide shot, Security Council
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Kayoko Gotoh, Director and Officer-in-Charge for Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, United Nations:
“Although direct talks, which are currently paused, have yet to result in a breakthrough, diplomacy has made it possible for thousands of prisoners of war to return home, and for remains of fallen soldiers to be laid to rest. Negotiations should resume without further delays to prevent further escalation and to make meaningful progress towards a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.”
10. Various shots, Security Council
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Edem Wosornu, Director, Crisis Response Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA):
“Humanitarian workers in Ukraine came under repeated attack last week. As mentioned by my DPPA colleague, two separate convoys, clearly marked as being part of the United Nations, were hit while carrying life-saving assistance to civilians in need. Both missions had been notified well in advance through established channels.”
12. Wide shot, Security Council
13. Edem Wosornu, Director, Crisis Response Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
“These attacks are intensifying, making the delivery of humanitarian assistance increasingly difficult, if not impossible in some areas. Humanitarian workers in Ukraine are taking immense risks to save lives. However, the weapons being deployed - cheap and deadly - are rapidly changing what it means to deliver life-saving assistance. Humanitarian workers and assets must be respected. This entails taking active steps to spare them.”
14. Wide shot, Security Council
15. Edem Wosornu, Director, Crisis Response Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA):
“I remain deeply concerned about the situation for civilians in and around front-line communities. Whatever side of the line they may be, every day is a matter of life and death. Over a single weekend this month, 930 civilians – including more than 180 children – were evacuated from front-line areas in Donetsk with humanitarian support.”
16. Wide shot, Security Council
17. Edem Wosornu, Director, Crisis Response Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA):
“Civilians across Ukraine cannot wait for a political breakthrough to be protected and have their basic needs met. Protection, humanitarian access and funding remain essential while efforts toward a just and lasting peace continue.”
18. Wide shot, Security Council
19. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“We see no signals from Kyiv about readiness to move substantively toward a settlement. The negotiation process is at a dead-end. Zelensky should give the order to cease fire, withdraw the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Russian regions, including Donbas, and proceed to the discussion the concrete parameters of a genuinely comprehensive, just, and sustainable peace. Until he realizes this, achieving the goals of the Special Military Operation will be done by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.”
20. Various shots, Security Council
21. SOUNDBITE (English) Andrii Melnyk, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ukraine:
“The very fact that Putin is still able to manufacture such lethal weapons with the supply from abroad is nothing short of a scandal. We therefore call upon all UN Member States to enhance sanction regime and to prevent the delivery of component to Russian missile program and to the Russian war machine.”
22. Wide shot, Security Council
A UN top official said that the war in Ukraine is becoming deadlier by the day.
Addressing the Security Council today (19 May), Kayoko Gotoh, Director and Officer-in-Charge for Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations at the United Nations, reported, “In the last week alone, we witnessed one of the largest aerial bombardments of Ukraine since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Between 13 and 14 May, the Russian Federation reportedly launched more than 1,500 drones and dozens of missiles targeting Ukrainian cities across the country.”
She added, “Last month alone, at least 238 civilians were killed and 1,404 injured in Ukraine. This represents the highest monthly number of civilian casualties recorded since July 2025. It also reflects a continuing pattern of rising civilian harm.”
“Inside the Russian Federation, reported Ukrainian strikes have also led to increasing civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, including to residential buildings.”
She concluded, “Although direct talks, which are currently paused, have yet to result in a breakthrough, diplomacy has made it possible for thousands of prisoners of war to return home, and for remains of fallen soldiers to be laid to rest. Negotiations should resume without further delays to prevent further escalation and to make meaningful progress towards a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.”
Also addressing the Council, Edem Wosornu, Director of the Crisis Response Division of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said, “Humanitarian workers in Ukraine came under repeated attack last week. As mentioned by my DPPA colleague, two separate convoys, clearly marked as being part of the United Nations, were hit while carrying life-saving assistance to civilians in need. Both missions had been notified well in advance through established channels.”
She stressed, “These attacks are intensifying, making the delivery of humanitarian assistance increasingly difficult, if not impossible in some areas. Humanitarian workers in Ukraine are taking immense risks to save lives. However, the weapons being deployed - cheap and deadly - are rapidly changing what it means to deliver life-saving assistance. Humanitarian workers and assets must be respected. This entails taking active steps to spare them.”
She said, “I remain deeply concerned about the situation for civilians in and around front-line communities. Whatever side of the line they may be, every day is a matter of life and death. Over a single weekend this month, 930 civilians – including more than 180 children – were evacuated from front-line areas in Donetsk with humanitarian support.”
She concluded, “Civilians across Ukraine cannot wait for a political breakthrough to be protected and have their basic needs met. Protection, humanitarian access and funding remain essential while efforts toward a just and lasting peace continue.”
Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations said, “We see no signals from Kyiv about readiness to move substantively toward a settlement. The negotiation process is at a dead-end. Zelensky should give the order to cease fire, withdraw the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Russian regions, including Donbas, and proceed to the discussion the concrete parameters of a genuinely comprehensive, just, and sustainable peace. Until he realizes this, achieving the goals of the Special Military Operation will be done by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.”
Andrii Melnyk, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations stated, “The very fact that Putin is still able to manufacture such lethal weapons with the supply from abroad is nothing short of a scandal.”
He then called upon all UN Member States “to enhance sanction regime and to prevent the delivery of component to Russian missile program and to the Russian war machine.”
