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Statement by Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN Sergíy Kyslytsya at the UN Security Council meeting on “Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine” (21 October 2024)

Madam President, distinguished members of the Security Council, Assistant-Secretary-General Jenča,

I would have recognized here Putin’s caporegime in the permanent seat of the Soviet Union if he had not run away as a cheat who had told a pack of lies.

Next month, we will reach a somber milestone — 1,000 days since his mafia regime launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. And every day of this invasion has been marked by Russian war crimes and Ukrainian suffering and resilience.

Every new day of the Russian crisis is a new blow to the prospects of a peaceful and secure future for the globe. Not only because Russia strikes Ukraine, but also because it serves as a role model for other rogue states.

Russia persists in escalating its missile and drone terror. Month after month Russia sets new “records” in killing and destruction.

This September saw the highest number of civilian casualties in 2024, according to the UN – 208 killed and 1,220 wounded civilians.

Madam President,

The severity of crimes committed by the Russian military against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees is growing.

Ukraine’s Office of the Prosecutor General has documented the execution of 103 Ukrainian POWs by Russian forces, with 80% of these executions occurring in 2024.

In October at least two cases of mass murder of Ukrainian POWs have been recorded. Near Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Russians killed 16 Ukrainian POWs.

Just several days later, on October 10, Russian military forces shot nine unarmed Ukrainian soldiers near the village of Zelenyi Shlyakh in the Kursk region.

Not only soldiers, but Ukrainian civilians too continue to be killed in Russian captivity. On October 10, it was revealed that Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, illegally detained by Russia in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine in August 2023, lost her life in a Russian prison.

Evidence of widespread and systematic torture by Russia against Ukrainian civilians and POWs were recently reported by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine. These acts of torture follow consistent patterns across different locations, indicating a coordinated and officially sanctioned practice.

Madam President,

Being unable to block the navigation to and from Ukrainian Black Sea ports, Russia has intensified its attacks on civilian vessels and port infrastructure.

In the past three months, nearly 60 such terrorist attacks have taken place, killing or injuring 79 civilians, and damaging or destroying nearly 300 infrastructure facilities, and 22 civilian vessels.

In one of the latest attacks, on October 7, a Russian missile struck a civilian ship under the flag of Palau, killing one and injuring five people.

On October 9, Russia attacked a port in the Odesa region with a ballistic missile, hitting a container ship registered in Panama, which carried 45 containers of packaged sunflower oil. This shipment was a humanitarian consignment commissioned by the UN for delivery to Palestine. As a result of the missile attack, at least 8 people were killed and 11 were injured.

Putting an end to Russia’s occupation and missile attacks on our ports would significantly increase our ability to supply food to the global market.

Madam President,

Due to Russia’s relentless shelling and deliberate destruction of power generation, especially in front-line regions, the situation there has worsened drastically.

On October 15, the Governor of Kharkiv Oblast announced the mandatory evacuation of residents in Kupiansk and nearby villages which have been left without electricity, heat, and water due to Russian shelling.

Ensuring nuclear safety and security remains one of Ukraine’s top priorities. Coupled with the threats posed by Russia's ongoing occupation and militarization of the Zaporizhzhia NPP, its continued attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure produce serious risks to the safety and security of our nuclear facilities.

Missile and drone strikes on energy installations jeopardize the power supply needed to maintain critical cooling systems at nuclear power plants. In turn, disruptions to the power supply for extended periods pose serious challenges to the safe operation of nuclear reactors, potentially leading to dangerous overheating.

Russia is planning attacks on Ukraine’s NPPs and critical substations, aiming to disconnect the plants from the power grid. I call on all states to take a strong stance to prevent such a scenario, as it could severely increase the likelihood of a nuclear disaster.

Madam President,

The military alliance with the DPRK exposes several truths about Russia. Let’s start with this very Chamber. Protecting its accomplice, Russia has undermined the monitoring mechanism for sanctions compliance. This has once again proved that the mafia regime in Moscow has nothing to do with the purpose for which the Security Council exists.

Another truth is that all of Russia’s might is a bluff. It’s a gas station with a nuclear bomb. Since 2023, Pyongyang has been supplying weapons and munitions to Moscow, including ballistic missiles, in violation of multiple SC resolutions. In fact, the DPRK has become the main supplier of ammunition to Russia, thus fueling and prolonging its war against Ukraine.

This is yet another blow to the myth of “the second army of the world”, the army which in reality is begging from global outcasts, not only for weapons but also for manpower.

According to publicly available information, approximately 11,000 DPRK infantry troops are currently being trained in Russia’s East. These troops are expected to be ready for war against Ukraine by November 1.

Whereas at the beginning of the invasion most Russian citizens killed in the war were from indigenous peoples and other non-Russian ethnic communities, now Moscow headhunts impoverished citizens from third countries, once again exposing the deeply racist, neocolonial nature of its regime.

Although the example of the DPRK is the most striking, we should not forget about Russia's attempts to deceitfully recruit people from African and Asian countries, not only for combat operations but also for work in military industries. For instance, as reported by the media recently, the Indian Foreign Ministry acknowledged they are pressing Russia for the discharge of all Indian nationals remaining in the Russian army.

Madam President,

The outcome of Russia’s war against Ukraine will decide whether the world will plunge into more wars. This global threat requires a global and ambitious response. That’s why last week President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the Victory Plan that consists of five very concrete points. Let me now unweave the Russian tapestry of lies about the Plan.

Its first point is indeed an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO. This will become fundamental for peace and serve as a signal to the Russian dictator that his geopolitical calculations have failed. Russia should not be allowed to further exploit geopolitical uncertainty in Europe.

The second point is defense. It implies the irreversible strengthening of Ukraine's capabilities in face of the aggressor. This includes provision of a determined inventory of weapons needed to achieve this objective, strengthening of Ukraine’s air defense, further military operations in designated areas of Russia and destroying Russia's offensive potential in the occupied territories of Ukraine.

The third point is deterrence. Ukraine proposes deploying a comprehensive non-nuclear strategic deterrence package on its territory, sufficient to protect the country from any military threat posed by Russia. Effective deterrence will ensure that Russia either resorts to diplomacy or is going to lose its war machine.

The fourth point is strategic economic potential. The deposits of critical resources in Ukraine worth trillions of U.S. dollars, along with Ukraine's globally important energy and food production potential, are among the key targets of the Russian Federation in this war. Instead, Ukraine offers its strategic partners a special agreement for the joint protection of these resources, as well as joint investment and use of this economic potential.

The fifth point is designed for the post-war period. After this war, Ukraine will have one of the most experienced and largest military contingents, which should be used to ensure security in Europe.

The Victory Plan is designed to push Russia towards a just peace rooted in international law. If the aggressor achieves its goals, it will set the stage for new wars of conquest worldwide.

Ukraine is open to diplomacy, but it must be honest diplomacy, grounded in a position of strength. That’s the core of our Peace Formula – to ensure that Ukraine is not forced into unjust compromises.

This summer, the First Peace Summit was held with the support of nearly 100 countries and international organizations. It is a clear path to restoring a just peace, based on the UN Charter.

Ukraine is preparing for a Second Peace Summit to bring an end to the war. Six thematic conferences on the Peace Formula’s points have already taken place, and others will be held by the end of October. Based on the outcomes of these conferences, in November the Joint Peace Framework will be prepared, opening the way for the organization of the Second Peace Summit.

The Victory Plan is a critical step toward this goal. It’s the bridge to implementing the Peace Formula, securing a successful Second Peace Summit, and advancing the cause of honest diplomacy for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace for Ukraine.

I thank you.