Russia announced on Tuesday it will not participate in Thursday’s special UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session on the Ukraine crisis, describing the upcoming meeting as a ‘new political show.’ Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman at Russia’s Ministry of foreign affairs, said, “The Russian delegation will not legitimise with its presence this new political show organised under the guise of an extraordinary session.”
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Zakharova further said that Moscow’s explanations on its offensive against Ukraine will be ignored ‘yet again.’ She said, “Unfortunately, our arguments on the true objectives of this special military operation and the real situation on the ground have always been ignored.’
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his nation’s troops to enter the east European country, describing the offensive as a ‘special military operation.’ Outside Russia, however, its action has been categorised as an ‘invasion.’
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Zakharova’s remarks, meanwhile, came a day after the Council announced it will hold a special session on April 12 to discuss the crisis. The meeting will take place on Kyiv’s request to examine ‘the deteriorating human rights situation in Ukraine stemming from the Russian aggression.’
Of particular focus during the meeting will be the killings in Bucha and the situation in the besieged city of Mariupol, said Yevheniia Filipenko, Ukraine’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations, on Monday.
On April 7, the UN General Assembly voted to suspend Russia from rights of its membership of the UNHRC.
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On March 4, the human rights body voted to trigger a commission of inquiry–the highest-possible level of investigation–into alleged Russian violations on Ukraine’s territory.
(With AFP inputs)
