Deputy UN Excessive Consultant for Disarmament Affairs, Adedeji Ebo, briefed ambassadors and likewise offered an replace on casualty figures.
Mr. Ebo said that because the final briefing on 14 June, “the availability of navy help and transfers of arms and ammunition to the armed forces of Ukraine has continued within the context of the full-scale invasion of that nation, launched by the Russian Federation on 24 February 2022, in violation of the UN Charter and worldwide regulation.”
In accordance with publicly obtainable info, the transfers have reportedly included heavy standard weapons reminiscent of battle tanks, armoured fight autos and helicopters, in addition to small arms and light-weight weapons, anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions.
“As well as, there have been studies of States transferring, or planning to switch, weapons reminiscent of uncrewed aerial autos, ballistic missiles and ammunition to the Russian armed forces and that these weapons have been utilized in Ukraine,” he stated.
Weapons and battle escalation
He pressured that the inflow of weapons and ammunition into areas the place armed conflicts are occurring can contribute to escalation. It additionally presents important threat of diversion and proliferation, even after the combating has ended.
“Any switch of weapons and ammunition should happen persistently with the relevant worldwide authorized framework, together with after all, related Security Council resolutions,” he stated.
He instructed the Council that measures to handle the danger of weapons diversion are key for stopping additional instability and insecurity in Ukraine. They will even be essential to post-conflict restoration.
He recalled that final month, international locations met to evaluate progress in the direction of implementing the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and its International Tracing Instrument.
Additionally they adopted, by consensus, measures to stop, fight and eradicate the illicit commerce in small arms and light-weight weapons for the interval by means of 2030.
He referred to as for States to implement these and different associated commitments, and their obligations underneath different devices, to stop the diversion of arms and regulate the worldwide arms commerce.
Casualties prone to be increased
Turning to casualties, Mr. Ebo stated 11,430 folks have been killed in Ukraine, and 23,228 injured, citing the Workplace of the UN Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Nonetheless, the precise figures are prone to be a lot increased.
OHCHR additionally reported that 72 % of civilian casualties in June occurred because of artillery shelling, multiple-launch rocket programs and aerial bombardments, whereas 26 per cent had been attributable to missile and loitering munitions strikes.
Moreover, the variety of casualties amongst youngsters in June was the very best to this point this yr.
“Using armed uncrewed aerial autos and missiles continues to trigger civilian deaths and accidents in addition to harm to civilian infrastructure,” he stated.
“As well as, there have additionally been studies of an rising variety of cross-borde strikes utilizing missiles and uncrewed aerial autos by Ukraine contained in the Russian Federation, with some, in line with the Russian authorities, reportedly leading to civilian casualties.”
Mr. Ebo urged all events to armed battle to chorus from actions that might endanger civilians.
He underlined that the UN will proceed to work in the direction of peace in Ukraine “in step with worldwide regulation, together with the UN Constitution, and related Common Meeting resolutions.”