The United Nations (UN) warned today of the risk of a “catastrophic winter” for millions of Ukrainians after the latest “relentless and widespread attacks” by Russia against civilians and important infrastructure.
In yet another meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the situation in Ukraine, and convened urgently, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Peacebuilding, Rosemary DiCarlo, gave details on the new wave of Russian attacks with use of missiles and drones which, during the past night, terrorized the people of Kiev, Odessa, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Zaporijia.
“While Ukrainians desperately sought shelter from the bombing, they also had to deal with freezing temperatures. Indeed, these latest attacks renew fears that this winter will be catastrophic for millions of Ukrainians, who face the prospect of cold months without heat, electricity, water or other basic services,” said DiCarlo.
“Even before the latest attacks, the Ukrainian authorities reported that there were virtually no intact large thermal or hydroelectric power stations in Ukraine. Today’s bombing is likely to make the situation even worse,” said the UN representative.
Following Rosemary DiCarlo, it was the turn of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to speak – via video call – before the diplomatic corps, having asked that “justice within UN structures” be restored, criticizing the fact that Russia, as responsible “for all this terror”, continues to have veto power within the Security Council, where it has blocked all attempts to act against its aggression.
