UNSC meeting on Ukraine: Condemn Bucha killings, back call for probe, says India

This is the strongest statement by New Delhi so far on Russia’s actions following its invasion of Ukraine which began February 24.

Ahead of the statement at the United Nations Security Council, US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken spoke to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. This was their second conversation within a week. They are due to meet in Washington DC on April 11 for the Indo-US 2+2 meeting between Foreign and Defence ministers.

At the UNSC meeting on Ukraine which was addressed by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, T S Tirumurti, India’s Permanent Representative at the UN, without naming Russia, said: “Recent reports of civilian killings in Bucha are deeply disturbing. We unequivocally condemn these killings and support the call for an independent investigation.”

“The situation in Ukraine has not shown any significant improvement… the security situation has only deteriorated, as well as its humanitarian consequences,” he said. “We hope the international community will continue to respond positively to humanitarian needs. We support calls urging for guarantees of safe passage to deliver essential humanitarian and medical supplies.”

Keeping in view the “dire humanitarian situation” in Ukraine, Tirumurti said India has been sending humanitarian supplies to Ukraine and its neighbours — these include medicines and other essential relief material. “We stand ready to provide more medical supplies to Ukraine in the coming days,” he said

Urging that humanitarian help should not be “politicised”, he said, “Allow me to reiterate the importance of UN Guiding Principles of Humanitarian Assistance once again. Humanitarian action must always be guided by the principles of humanitarian assistance, i.e., humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence. These measures should never be politicised.”

He reiterated India’s call for an end to violence and advocated diplomacy — in line with what Delhi has conveyed to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Zelenskyy.

“India continues to remain deeply concerned at the worsening situation and reiterates its call for immediate cessation of violence and end to hostilities. We have emphasised right from the beginning of the conflict the need to pursue the path of diplomacy and dialogue. When innocent human lives are at stake, diplomacy must prevail as the only viable option. In this context we take note of the ongoing efforts, including the meetings held recently between the parties,” he said.

In another reference to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Tirumurti said: “We continue to emphasise to all member states of the UN that the global order is anchored on international law, UN Charter and respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of states.”

He also pointed to the impact of the crisis on India’s domestic prices – oil prices have been hiked by Rs 9.20 in 15 days in India.

“The impact of the crisis is being felt beyond the region with increasing food and energy costs, especially for many developing countries. It is in our collective interest to work constructively, both inside the United Nations and outside, towards seeking an early resolution to the conflict,” he said.

The graphic images of killings in Bucha, a town north of Kyiv, has shocked the international community. Zelenskyy has called it “genocide”. He travelled to Bucha Monday. Ukraine said its forces have retaken all areas around Kyiv for the first time since the start of the Russian invasion, according to Reuters.

US Secretary of State Blinken said that the Bucha images are “a punch to the gut. We have come out and said that we believe that Russian forces have committed war crimes and we’ve been working to document that.”

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Russia’s “indiscriminate attacks against innocent civilians … must be investigated as war crimes.” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this is “brutality against civilians” not seen in Europe for decades.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock tweeted that the images emerging from Bucha are “unbearable.” “Those responsible for these war crimes must be held accountable,” she said.

Rejecting the allegations, Russia’s envoy at the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said: “What happened in Bucha is exactly a false flag attack by the Kiev regime and its Western sponsors. The possible goal of this provocation is horrifying and brings back the nightmares of the Nazi crimes during the Second World War.”