A UN Security Council meeting on "Maintaining Peace and Security in Ukraine" was held in New York. Christina Gayovyshyn, the acting permanent representative of Ukraine to the UN, attended the meeting. She focused her speech on the situation in Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories. Specifically, she addressed the deliberate Russification and militarization of children, demographic manipulation, the policy of forced passportization, and the destruction of Ukrainian identity.
This was report by the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations.
Thus, Ms. Haiovyshyn, Ukraine's chargé d'affaires, spoke at an open meeting of the UN Security Council on the situation in Ukraine. In her speech, she revealed the current escalation of Russian hostilities, outlined flagrant violations of international law, and called for an immediate ceasefire resolution to be adopted.
"This month, each successive massive shelling of civilians and civilian infrastructure has surpassed the previous ones in terms of the number of missiles, drones, and aerial bombs used, resulting in greater casualties and destruction," said the diplomat, citing the tragedy in the village of Pravdyne, where a one-year-old boy was killed by a Russian drone.
Ms. Hayovyshyn emphasized that Russian attacks on civilians underscore the urgent need for increased international support to protect Ukrainians. She called on partners to continue and expand this support because, for millions of Ukrainians, it is "a matter of life and death."
"Russia is implementing a policy of Russification. They are promoting a nationalist agenda and drawing young people into their military structures in an attempt to supplant Ukrainian identity and foster loyalty to the Kremlin regime. A key element of this policy is involving children and adolescents in paramilitary organizations," emphasized Khristina Hayovyshyn.
She noted that, through the Yunarmiya and First Movement programs, Russia is turning children into "instruments of military propaganda" in a system that is alarmingly reminiscent of North Korea.
Hayovyshyn also emphasized the threat of altering the demographic composition of the population in Ukraine's occupied territories.
"Under the guise of housing programs and mortgage lending, Russia is massively resettling its citizens in these regions to consolidate the occupation and displace the local population. Through the 'preferential mortgage' program, Russian citizens, particularly military personnel, teachers, families with children, and cultural workers, receive advantages when purchasing housing in occupied territories. Meanwhile, Ukrainians are barred from participating in these programs, and housing is used as leverage to force them to accept Russian passports.
The diplomat paid particular attention to abducted children, recalling the recent unsuccessful negotiations in Istanbul, where Russia responded to only a few of the 339 names on Ukraine's list.
"Russian representatives have been spreading false information about the list of abducted children. Ukraine initially provided this list of 339 names as a gesture of trust. Russia responded to less than a fifth of the list. More than 200 children remain unaccounted for, including those from the Kherson orphanage. The announced ‘return’ of children includes only six individuals, who were returned thanks to a year of humanitarian mediation by Qatar, not Russia,” she added.
She also explained Ukraine's reasons for suspending its participation in the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of Mines.
"Russia's massive use of mines has put Ukraine in an unequal and unfair position. Therefore, Ukraine has made the difficult but necessary decision to suspend the 1997 Ottawa Convention," the diplomat explained.
At the end of her speech, Khristina Hayovyshyn emphasized that Ukraine seeks comprehensive, just, and lasting peace based on the UN Charter, supported by reliable, legally binding security guarantees.
"An immediate, complete, and unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days is a critically important first step. It is the basis for stopping the war, restoring trust, and starting real negotiations," she said.
She also conveyed Ukraine's readiness to hold a leaders' summit by the end of August, which should lay the groundwork for such peace. In this regard, Ukraine called on the Security Council to adopt a corresponding resolution and urged all member states to support the initiative.
Photo: un.mfa.gov.ua, chytomo.com
Author: Inna Mikhno