Arria Formula Meeting Entitled: "The Reign of Terror: Crimes of the Kiev Regime in Ukraine and Beyond."

And others are just not in a position where they can wait for justice for years. After the Pinochet regime in Chile fell, This should be stopped right now. Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity.

Thank you very much, Pavel, for your story and for sharing it with us. I wanted to attract attention of members of the Council that despite the fact that we checked all the services in this room before Aria has started, Now all services are off except the translation. We do not have the webcast and we don't have any translation provided by the UN, but we made a decision to proceed despite this unfortunate development that I'm very sure of calling a sabotage against, again, the The truth related to use of Russian language and the crimes committed in Ukraine. So we decided to proceed with our ARIA formula as it is, and we then later on circulate the information and the documents after it. And we decide to proceed, not to be silenced. And thank you all again for coming.

Thank you.

and listening to what we have to say. I will now give the floor to Alexander Semchenko, a member of a political council of the party, Dejava, political party that was banned by Kyiv by fabricating a politically motivated criminal case against him. Alexander, please be aware that we do have an interpretation and it's Simultaneous, please. You know, speak in the common pace. You know, you will get translated. Please, you have the floor. Please unmute yourself. Вас не слишь на в ключите микروفон пожалуйста.

I only have 15 minutes, so I'll be very brief and just cover the main points. Why are we speaking to you against the background of a white wall? by my location. They have been using this practice even before 2022. I see this as a global instrument for destroying the authoritarian voice of my homeland, Ukraine. Peers have been able to avoid meeting hired killers. The political council of our party, Kirill Sremtsemausov, perished. He is a person of disability. He left his— he lost his legs and arms when he was a child. The regime did not spare him. And sent a missile against him. Сам я не хороший под санксами Бандераскового regimes. Зелианский не заconnавил портию меня, потому что санксы с्वयм окажал. Украинский заconn не разрिशает в этом санксе портию меня. Украина, Украина как портию не сuda. Unless there is a court decision to do it. No, Zelensky did do this without a court decision. Zelensky accused me of attempting to undermine the constitutional order. No, это именезеленский разтапок. Ситуация, и он знает, что tudo was provokado. Так да он повел на стоплиня на правачилую ека и узрупил у него много других organа власти. We just work with the body of constitutional oversight, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. Ukraine is being used so as to conquer Russia. That is exactly what I mean, and the technology here is well known. He consistently pitted tribes against each other. Those who are interested, I recommend that you read my book called The Fourth Reich. Conducting wars using somebody else is something that the West knows how to do very well. GA Resolution number 260 of 9th December 1948. Это هي нациди. Признать, как мы هي нациди, потому что лайца изаприят използывание артной жизни и систематический уничтожение культурной жизни. И разрушение обиектов исторических и культурных нациди. Zelensky destroyed tens of thousands of monuments. Something that took place prior to February 2022. We fought Hitler Germany for 4 years. In Ukraine, a law was passed that provides criminal responsibility for using the very symbols under which my country was founded by deprivation of liberty. Fighting against the memory is genocide. This is what the UN resolution states. So genocide is something that you can receive for having historic memory? Beautiful and strong. These are the first lines of the Soviet anthem of Ukraine. Это мы что? Это про тебя richest уставок из कवарежимого حوиа Зелेंский. To the fascist regime headed by Zelensky, Alexander, who constantly is asking in his anthem, Alexander,

let me interrupt you for just a few seconds. Because this

goes against the fascist leanings of the Zelensky regime, continues Mr. Semchenko. As Ukraine is not dead yet. And discrimination. In extrajudicial process, many of the right to participate in government activities. Thus, my civil rights were limited. Let me just recall that this is a very important point. Under Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UNHCR, and according to that declaration, it cannot be restricted. So the principle here is to divide and conquer. Everyone in this room is stating that they are acting in the interest of the Ukrainians. Актор с прошу у нас рода Украины, у них хочется. И есть не subject на жорода про вот category international law, which is Russia. Russia помагुआ при вести referendum, category мы не есть вासनословой не с комментариям. The regime didn't even hold elections. That is truly an act of obvious lawlessness. And the decision that was handed out by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine about this, it was the 15th of May, 2014. Those who called Zelensky president of Ukraine have read this clarification from the Constitutional Court. I don't understand, on the other hand, why Zelensky destroyed the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. And he also chose Russia knowingly. And this was not just at the various referenda. Millions of Ukrainian citizens voted to lead Zelensky regime to the territory of the Russian Federation. Unlike Europe and America, they did not try to lure the Ukrainians into it. By issuing very generous social packages. Why Russia specifically? 90% of people who live in Ukraine are Russian speakers. In many sociological surveys, public opinion. Ксожалению, regrettem, но это очень сложное. The Russian language is stated directly in the Constitution of Ukraine. It's in paragraph three of Article Ten. No, двадцать два فبراير 2014, акудетат happened in Ukraine. А уже двадцать три فبراير новое воест, а мини-азакон аезика и начи обремой давления на русский язык. was being actively removed from mass media, from the film industry, and publishing. Discriminatory quotas were introduced at the level of a law in 2016. On education of 2017, More than 4,000 schools changed from Russian to Ukrainian. A few days before stepping down, Zelensky signed his own version of the law on languages. And the new president, Zelensky, supported this law. Provisions ran counter to the campaign promises by Zelensky himself. The law bans Russian in educational institutions such as kindergarten schools and higher learning institutions. The position of a special ombudsman on languages was introduced. In Ukraine, this office is called Sprechenführer, and the function of that Führer is fining for the use of the Russian language in a public space. And you are being fined if you use the Russian language in everyday activities, in shops, in restaurants, in hairdresser salons. And even at the parliamentary level, there was real pressure, real pressure. The Supreme Rada turns off the microphones when the members of the Rada address their, um, their people in their own language, in Russian. The goal of this policy was formulated by the Secretary of the National Security Council of the Zelensky regime. Um, his name is Alexei Danilov, and he stated that the Russian language in Ukraine has to disappear. The Zelensky regime, which usurped Authorities in Ukraine organized a terror system which punishes dissent. My own criminal case under Article 436— I can run into 10 years jail with my property being confiscated. The publication in 2018 of a chart in Facebook which showed the demographic trends before and after independence. Before independence, the number of people would grow by on average 500,000 people per year. After independence, it went down. For example, in 2021, before the large-scale war, the population of Ukraine diminished by 1.2 million people. And I placed those charts against the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine and the red and blue flag of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, just to make it clearer. And this is a publication that can now— as a result of which I can be jailed for up to 10 years. The A criminal code was also added to with the articles which provide for punishment for criticism of Zelensky and his accomplices. Article 46.2, for example. According to this article, the criticism of crimes of corruption, the criticism of human rights violations, All of this is being considered as justifying the Russian aggression. Let me just give you some examples as an illustration. Someone in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast was jailed because he criticized Zelensky for his Bandera propaganda. Let me recall here that in 1935, Poland sentenced Bandera to life imprisonment for terrorism. He is currently the official hero in Zelensky's Ukraine. Someone in Vinnytsia Oblast was sentenced for For likes. And there are tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of such cases. I am convinced that this statement of mine I'm making now Will also be used as proof of my guilt in the criminal proceedings against me, of my guilt, which was politically motivated, that was started against me by the Zelensky regime. This is true fascism. This is open terror. Do you understand this, I wonder, when you support Zelensky? When you give him and his representatives a platform to speak, well, the West talks about their values, but how do you convey them? A famous Russian scientist, the founder of the civilization approach, Nikolai Danilevsky, In 1969 has stated, or in 1869 stated already, that the West is moving its civilization forward by colonizing and depriving of the conquered people of their individuality. In practice, this leads to total destruction of some peoples by others. For example, this was done by the British, by the English colonizers in North America, where headhunters teams were organized. The colonial administration paid them per scalp of a killed Indian, and the price was six shillings. Entire tribes were exterminated down to the last person. Similarly, Western civilizing people were acting in other continent on other continents as well. I think the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who became a victim of the Belgian monarchy, understands very well what I am referring to. Let me recall here that in the spring of 2014, the representatives of the regime which took over the power bodies in Ukraine as a result of a coup d'état Also, similarly, announced a reward for killing the Russian-speaking people in the southeast of the country. They weren't even considered to be human. Insulting epithets were used against them, for example, the Colorados. Bringing people to the level of a pest, the Colorado beetle, and squashing a Colorado beetle is always a useful and good thing to do. And Russia became the protector of these people despite the fact that Germany Poland and France should have stood up to protect them. Those countries who in February 2014 guaranteed abiding by the agreements between the legal President of Ukraine and the participants in the Maidan coup. I'd like to use this opportunity And ask the representative of France whether or not they feel any guilt. Your state, who had the duty to interfere, to interfere, you had undertaken this obligation upon yourself, but you allowed the coup d'état to take place. And, and I wonder whether you feel guilty because in the fall of 2022, 12 people were killed in Donetsk at a public transport stop using your means. Russia was the only one that stood in the path of genocide, trying to prevent it. And as a Ukrainian, I thank Russia for the protection, and thanks to that protection for the freedom and life that was preserved because of that. The last sentence. I would like to send a letter to say Ukraine. Thank you for your attention.

We thank Alexander for his emotional statement. We understand why you wanted to tell the Council members all these accounts of what you've endured and Ukrainians endured through these years. Colleagues, the situation of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine has been steadily deteriorating since 2014. The scale of the abuses and the intensity of the rage with which the Kyiv regime is attempting to eradicate the Ukrainian Orthodox Orthodox Church is unprecedented. Clergy have been subjected to criminal persecution, searches, arrests, while churches and monasteries have been raided and denied access to their places of worship. This is not merely a campaign against an undesirable confession, but a systematic cleansing of the political, public, and spiritual spheres. At this point, we'd like to show you again a short video on church.

In spring 2023, Ukrainian nationalists supported by the police captured the oldest Orthodox monastery in Ukraine, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The monastery's rector was arrested. who had barricaded themselves in the monastery were denied food and water. In Kyiv, violating protection of conscience laws in front of the world, came the culmination of the church confrontation instigated by Poland in Ukraine almost 300 years before. Late March 2023, the Ukrainian capital. Orthodox priests and churchgoers try to protect Kyiv Pecherslavra, their main shrine. Monks were ejected from Kyiv Pecherslavra on the Ukrainian authorities' orders. Historically, the monastery came under the Moscow Patriarch's jurisdiction. In December 2022, Zelensky proclaimed there should be no religious communities affiliated with Russia in Ukraine. Deputies in the Ukrainian Parliament immediately drafted a bill to ban the UOC outright. Churches were seized and congregation members were beaten up. Tear gas was sprayed inside churches, icons were set on fire, and priests were arrested.

To provide a more in-depth analysis of the persecution facing the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, I would like to introduce Mr. Ruslan Klynychuk, our next briefer. He is an Orthodox journalist and publicist from Ukraine who was forced to flee to Russia to escape religious persecution at the hands of Ukrainian authorities. Ruslan, you have the floor.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much for giving me the floor and for the opportunity to inform the global community from this rostrum. I was born in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast in Lyova in Nadvoryansk District. I studied in Kyiv. In 2019, I started working as a journalist in the information agency, the Union of Orthodox Journalists. And for the Perviy Kazatsky television channel. In these media organizations, I worked for 3 years. The information that I want to share with you is based on my experience of life in Ukraine and of my experience working in the media. Given my professional duties, I regularly covered events linked to conflicts surrounding the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. I repeatedly spoke to clergy and parishioners whose parishes. Or who personally had been attacked, including by right-wing radical groups. Hatred for Orthodox Christians of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ukraine has been going on for a long time. Each year there has been an intensification in anti-church propaganda, including in the media. As a result of this, there has inevitably been a worsening of the existing schism between the church in Ukraine. The peak of this narrative can be located in the events of December 2018 and the so-called unifying cathedral, as a result of which. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine was created through the efforts of the authorities. This cathedral did not manage to unify anyone because literally 2 months after the artificial union, there was a schism, a division that took place. Between the leading figures of the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine, between Epiphany Dumyanka and Filaret Denysenko, and the entities that allegedly unified the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. Still exist separately. As a result, Filaret accused Epiphany of lying and he put his so-called Kyiv Patriarchate back together again. But the creation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine gave the opportunities— the authorities the opportunity to pit The Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church against one another, calling the latter an alien and unnecessary church. At the same time, representatives of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine were beating and maiming Orthodox parishioners and the clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Illegally moving Ukrainian Orthodox Church churches into the property of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, forcibly seizing them in cities and in villages. I, as a journalist and as a parishioner, a believing, a faithful, a believing person. I find it most painful that no one was able to help us. We were not able to turn to the law enforcement authorities because often they, they not only did nothing, but they also were on the side of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. We, the journalists defending the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, were called defenders of the Moscow popes and of the Moscow Church in order to besmirch the church and to try and prove that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was managed, as it were, from Russia. And that together with its parishioners or through them, it was trying to impose the Russian world and Russian culture. And that's even though the Ukrainian Orthodox Church never opposed the official stance of the Ukrainian authorities. Based on my experience of speaking to the clergy of the church and the parishioners, I've concluded. That the seizing of Ukrainian Orthodox Church churches takes place according to the two possible two following ways: by falsifying documents, and also by holding assemblies of territorial communities instead of religious parishes. And now I would like to provide more detailed information about some cases of Ukrainian Orthodox Church churches being seized. I have had an opportunity to talk to witnesses and participants in these seizures personally since, as I already said, that was part of my professional duties. For example, in February 2019, together with a group of journalists, I spoke to Proto-Iraeus Stefan Balan, who was the rector of the Transfiguration Church in Gierzdiczna in Zbarovsk district of Ternopil Oblast. On the 3rd of February 2019, there was an attack that took place. People burst into the church; they shouted obscenities. They described the clergy as the FSB church or rotten Russkies. During the clashes, as Proto-Iraeus Stefan said. He was taken by the head and beaten. Medical workers said that there were bruises all over his body, his head, his chest, his arms. In addition to the rector, during the attack on the church at the hands of the attackers, several women were also injured. After the attack, the Transfiguration Church was sealed. However, the representatives of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine hid it and they began to hold services. They break Broke the seal and started to hold services there. Many faithful and clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and people visiting them and defending them faced serious consequences, including ones that were a threat to their life.

Yes.

For example, in Verkhovina in Ivano-Frankovsk Oblast, where I'm from, representatives of the territorial defense abducted Father Tito Dracuk. As Father Tito later reported, He was detained by force in order to force him to transfer the property of the Holy Trinity Monastery, uh, Dukhonsky, to the ownership of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine on the 16th of March, 2022. Territorial Defense Forces carried out an attack on the rector of the church in Ivanovk in Zhytomyr Oblast at the Archimandrite Lavra. The fate of the priest Lavra— of the priest of the Lavra remains unknown to this day. Most likely he was killed. I also know about other cases of abductions, beatings, and various forms of physical exactions against the clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. With my own eyes, I saw tens and hundreds of parishioners and clergymen beaten. And all of this took place against journalists as well that published information about attacks on Ukrainian Orthodox Church churches and the lawlessness that was prevailing there. I also didn't manage to avoid this persecution. Starting with March 2022, representatives of the territorial defense threatened me with death, and they turned up at my home. For that reason, I was forced to leave Ukraine, and my fears were justified. Currently in Ukraine, 5 criminal cases have been launched against me in Ukraine. And in March 2024, Ukrainian security services officers came to visit my grandmother. At the time, she was 76 years old. And of course, she was terrified to see armed people in masks with machine guns. She was afraid that they would force her out of the home that she had built together with my grandfather. And I, of course, felt helpless because I could do nothing to help and protect her. Ladies and gentlemen, I could go on at length listing the lawless acts of the Ukrainian authorities. I could recall the anti-church law that was adopted that allows the parishes of the UOC to have their legal registration denied them. I could talk about the numerous cases of clergymen being mobilized, even though the authorities know very well that according to the canons of the church, clergymen do not have the right to take up arms. But the UOC clergy were in this way forced to move over to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

Thank you.

I could mention the Metropolitan of the Holy Arseny Yakovenko, the Svyatogor Metropolitan Arseny Yakovenko, who for almost 2 years was illegally kept in pretrial investigative isolation. But I would like to make a personal request to you. Particularly to those ambassadors and representatives whose governments are sponsoring the current Ukrainian authorities with weapons and money. Please convey to your governments and to your presidents the truth that they are not supporting a young democracy, but rather a brutal regime. Which is killing and maiming its own citizens only because they hew to the faith of their fathers. The blood and tears of the clergy and the believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are on the hands of those that defend the Ukrainian regime. God sees, and His justice will be done. Thank you very much for your attention.

I thank you, Ruslan, for your insightful testimony. And our last but not least guest today is Russian journalist and documentary filmmaker Ekaterina Arkalova, who will discuss the consequences of Kyiv's crackdown on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. She will report on what she saw with her own eyes and what her interlocutors For anyone interested in understanding this topic, I recommend watching Yekaterina's documentary named Your Will, which is about destroyed holy sites and the unbreakable spirit of Donbas. The video will be available via QR code in the materials from our meeting. These are real people and real tragedies. Yekaterina, the floor is yours.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. It's a great honor for me to have the opportunity to bring you some facts and data that I gathered during my work as a special correspondent and documentary filmmaker on the territories of the Donetsk People's Republic, Lugansk People's Republic, and Zaporizhzhia. Everything that I'm going to tell you is something I saw personally. I spoke to eyewitnesses and I took photo and video. In November 2022, I began to work as a war correspondent on the territory of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. First thing I found out about was in Melitopol in December 2021. In the city, with the support of the current administration, a Dantsov Fest was held. This is an event to involve young people in neo-Nazi organizations in honor of Dantsov. Dantsov is a Ukrainian nationalist author who honors Banderites alongside Bander— honored by Banderites alongside Bandera himself. According to his work, a person, if they're Ukrainian, Bulgarian, an Englishman, or from any country in the world, they can become a Ukrainian nationalist. Essentially, any citizen of the world that signs on to hate Russians can stand in the, in the ranks of the new neo-Ukrainian Nazi Russophobes. He essentially adapted the Austrian developments of Ukrainian nationalism. In honor of that person, the Ukrainian Greco-Catholic church with the support of the authorities and a number of extremist organizations and organized nationalist festivals. And that was only in Melitopol. In December 2022, I came across a brochure called Verit, Believe, that was written by some Ivan Altinsky. This literature is full of gross extrapolations of religious ideas onto historic facts. This and similar brochures were circulated en masse by the Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Catholic Church and affiliated organizations before 2022 on the territory of Zaporozhye. Specifically, this brochure was published in 1990. On the COVID Ukraine includes Voronezh and Rostov Oblast, Krasnodar, and Brest Oblast in Belarus. And this is reminiscent of the maps that Russian officers who were prisoners of the Austrians and German officers during the First World War found when they were planning to create a vassal state of Ukraine under the protectorate of Austria-Hungary. Over the last 100 years, the plans haven't changed a great deal. Does this not look like impingement on the territorial integrity of Russia, I ask you? A staff member of the Department for Working with Religious Organizations gave me data about a sect called Slovozhizny, the Word of Life. The pastor of this sect in February and March 2022 was in hiding for 3 weeks. And when he was detained, he was found to have 3 American passports. Um, 2 of them had one name and a third had a different name, but all of the passports were genuine. They weren't fake. And he was treated very well. He was allowed to leave the country. In 2023, in Zaporizhzhia, the terror began on the 3rd of January at 4 AM. One of the city hospitals in Tokmak was shelled. 4 HIMARS missiles were launched and they damaged a part of the building, as well as the maternity and pediatrics wards. People were killed and wounded, and the number of casualties is high and it's still not been properly established. As a special correspondent, I was working directly on the scene of the terrorist attack, and the information can be found online. On the 4th of January, civilian infrastructure in Vasylivka around midday was hit by 6 HIMARS of 4 missiles at a time and 2 subsequently. There were blast ammunition, frag ammunition. The Ukrainian Armed Forces waited for people to arrive before they launched the second wave. As a result, 24 people were injured and 4 were killed. All of this is photographed and videoed, and I worked as a stringer, and so I was directly on the scene, and this can be found online as well. Since 2014 in Donbas and also in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Oblast, According to various data, around 300 churches have been damaged and many of them were almost destroyed, entirely destroyed, and there is shrapnel and damage everywhere. I directly witnessed attacks on churches of the Canonical Orthodox Church, which I covered when I was working on the documentary film Thy Will. The Nikolai Monastery near Ugledar was something I saw in 2024. At the time, After shelling from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, 7 people were killed, including monks and workers. But there wasn't any work going on there. The shells were sticking out of the ground and out of trees. There was shrapnel everywhere. Agricultural machinery was destroyed. Holes had been blown in walls and frescoes with the faces of saints on them. The monks said that they were burying people directly in the monastery. Saying that if one of us is killed in a shelling, then at least we can bury them and saves anyone having to go outside again. The novitiate Afanasy showed us where another person had died. The monks lived and conducted services in the rubble of the church without electricity or water, and all of their supplies were provided by volunteers. The monastery of the icon of the Holy Mother, regard the humility in Bielaogorda near Lysychansk. The rector, Mother Superior Ekaterina, told us about the atrocities that were committed and by other AFU units as well as the Azov Brigade, who repeatedly—they they shot people, they conducted mock trials, they abused people. And so one nun who didn't speak Ukrainian, she hid a woman and she forced her to be quiet. The nun also witnessed the drugs that the Ukrainian battalions had, and the neo-Nazis were using these drugs and then committing atrocities. The nun, Sister Yekaterina, was injured herself during Ukrainian shelling, and now she can't really walk by herself. The nun's son died during Ukrainian shelling in recent years at the hands of the Kyiv regime. Almost everyone she knew has died. Currently, of the 13 residents, only 5 are left. Um, 2 of them have had heart failure, and some have been forced to leave the monastery in fear. The Church of Ignaty Obryanchaniv in Donetsk— the rector, Alexander Kharkiv for many years of war, did not leave the city, conducted services there. The shelling did not end even during my visit. You could see the shrapnel and the holes that have been blown in the walls. The area around it was covered with butterfly mines, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces were hitting it with drones, and there were mines in the cemetery. A targeted strike destroyed the The school, the walls and the ceiling of that, and Father Alexander and his assistant were repeatedly shelled. The reconstruction work was proceeding slowly and Ukrainian attacks continued. There's no water in the town at all. The Church of Saint John of Kronstadt in Donetsk and Trudovskaya now. This is unique because even during the worst shelling, services continued. Only part of it has now been rebuilt. There is shelling everywhere. The bulk of the building has been destroyed. Only the walls are still standing. Father Alexander is holding services with a small attendance. They feel abandoned, but at least they can pray. And despite the threat to their life, people are coming to the church. And they're coming from different parts of the country. In Avdiivka, the Church of Nicholas— the Saint Nicholas— the church was destroyed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces when they were attacking from the city. The Church of Archangel Michael was severely damaged, and Andrei did not leave the service during the hostilities, even when the other service personnel had left Avdiivka. At the time of our meeting, he couldn't hear very well. The day before, the UAF had attacked the church, and reconstruction work is currently underway. Returning to Cherkasy, I spoke to Irina, who lived in a 5-story residential building. She was trying to help the surviving citizens. The school where she worked had been totally destroyed. The building where she lived had been destroyed in a targeted strike. A woman died. Thank you. And the rubble had not yet been fully cleared. One of Marina's other neighbors died in a UAV strike, and there's no water or electricity at all. In Lugansk, in Bakhmut district, the Intercession Mother of God Church—we met with the father there. His home had been destroyed. He was deprived of any property. He lived in the church. He was trying to organize a garden, and there was constant shelling of the church. The cupola was. Destroyed through a direct attack. The walls were damaged. Father Nikolai was— the word Ukrainian had been crossed out on the sign of the church. He was being accused of supporting Moscow, the father called the UAF offer. But for 25 years, Irina had been helping around the church. Her home was destroyed for no reason. And her son was killed by UAF forces just for leaving the house. In 2025, the cupola of the Bogoroditsa Church was destroyed, and people tried to put it back together. The church's yard was hit by UAF shelling. Drones attacked the workers who were working to put it back together over the last 3 months. According to data from local residents, at least 15 civilians have been killed. On the 10th of February 2026, a Ukrainian drone attack on a funeral procession killed a well-known hero of my film, the rector of the Assumption Church, Father Sergei Klyakin. And that was during the procession. The drone was clearly waiting for when the father would be there. As a result, 6 people were injured and Father Sergei died. The Kyiv regime is liquidating the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Currently, 2 eparchies of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have been liquidated in Lvov and Ivano-Frankivsk. Almost all of the churches have been transferred not to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine but to the Greco-Catholic Church of Ukraine. I've seen traces of this, traces of— on the Novorossiya roadway also being shelled by drones of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Akimov village in Zaporozhye where a large number of citizens living primarily old people and mothers with children— there are no soldiers in this town— are daily attacked by Ukrainian drones. This town is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe. This is far from all of the evidence, and I could go on, but the time of my briefing is up. Thank you for my— for your attention. I hope you were able to hear me.

I thank you, Yekaterina, for your comprehensive testimony. testimony, and I'm sure you have a lot to add, and we call on members of the Council to see your documentary. But now we would like to give the floor to those Council members who wish to speak, and I give the floor to the representative of Pakistan.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Dear Anna, we take note of the remarks delivered by you in your capacity as the chair. We also very attentively heard the sobering briefings and testimonies by the briefers. Pakistan has consistently expressed its concerns on the conflict in Ukraine and its consequences in the region and beyond. It is deplorable that the recent past has seen an escalation in hostilities compounding misery for the civilian population, which continues to bear a disproportionate brunt from the ongoing conflict. From the outset, Pakistan's position has been underpinned by our unwavering conviction in the primacy of dialogue and diplomacy for the peaceful settlement of this conflict. We reiterate our call for bringing this conflict to an end at the earliest and for a just and lasting settlement consistent with the UN Charter, international law, and relevant multilateral agreements acceptable to all relevant parties and corresponding to the security interests of all sides. Madam Chair, a pluralistic society with vibrant mosaic of faiths, culture, and customs is a source of collective enrichment. Our shared future hinges on the establishment of a framework where diverse beliefs and traditions can coexist peacefully and converse without fear. My delegation has consistently supported this cause. Not long ago, Pakistan, along with the Philippines, tabled a resolution in the General Assembly on the promotion of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, understanding, and cooperation for peace, which was adopted unanimously. We remain convinced that promoting peace requires collective approaches that embrace diversity and inclusivity and safeguard all fundamental rights and freedoms. I thank you very much.

I thank Representative of Pakistan, dear Usman, for his statement and now give the floor to the Representative of Colombia.

Señora Presidenta.

Madam President, we thank the Russian Federation for organizing this meeting and the briefers for their briefing. As a member of the United Nations and as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, Colombia shares the responsibility to keep at the center of our deliberations the protection of life, human dignity, and the pursuit of lasting, sustainable, and long-term peace. Therefore, each space for dialogue is an opportunity to reaffirm those principles, to promote respect for international law, and international humanitarian law and to explore paths that can help reduce the suffering of the civilian population. Precisely because our primary goal is to protect people, we cannot be indifferent to the recent developments in the conflict. The intensification of hostilities and the increase in attacks against densely populated areas continues to have devastating consequences for the civilian population and to worsen the risk of a further escalation. Colombia recalls, moreover, that international humanitarian law obliges all parties to respect and protect the civilian population and civilian goods. Madam President, in recent weeks we have heard repeated announcements of strengthening military capacities and the intensification of operations. However, experience shows that this conflict does not have a military solution. What is needed are clear signs of political will by the parties involved to stop the hostilities and to establish a compromise for the pursuit of a negotiated solution. In that regard, we must support and strengthen all efforts that contribute to that aim. My delegation reiterates the call to stop the violence through an immediate, verifiable, ceasefire accompanied by effective monitoring mechanisms that can help protect lives, facilitate humanitarian access, and create the necessary conditions for a sustained and constructive dialogue process. To conclude, I would like to underscore that building a lasting peace requires continuous efforts to overcome existing divisions, to generate trust among the parties, and to establish conditions that will allow all affected communities to live in security, dignity, and respect, with full recognition for their rights and in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, international law, and international humanitarian law. Thank you very much.

I thank the representative of Colombia for her statement, and I give the floor to the representative of China.

Chair, I thank the Russian Federation for organizing this RIA Formula meeting and thank the 4 briefers for their briefings. The current situation around the Ukraine issue is deeply concerning. Fighting continues on the ground, showing a perilous trend of escalation and expansion. This not only takes a heavy toll on civilians, but also complicates the path towards peace talks. China condemns any attacks against innocent civilians. We urge the parties concerned to exercise calm and restraint, earnestly comply with international humanitarian law, refrain from any actions that put civilians in harm's way or make the situation worse, protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, make every effort to de-escalate tensions and create conditions for an early ceasefire and cessation of hostilities. It takes more than one cold day for the river to freeze 3 feet deep. The situation in Ukraine did not reach this point overnight, and its causes are complex and multifaceted. The briefing just now highlighted some of the issues that merit serious attention and require comprehensive solution. China supports all efforts dedicated to peace. We hope that relevant parties will continue engagement, demonstrate political will, resume dialogue and negotiations, and address each other's security concerns, eliminate the root causes of the conflict based on full adherence to the principles of the UN Charter, and work towards a comprehensive, lasting, and binding peace agreement. Chair, China has consistently maintained an objective and impartial position on the Ukraine issue, guided by the 4 shoulds proposed by President Xi Jinping. We maintain communication and contact with all parties, including Russia and Ukraine, and actively work in our own way to facilitate peace talks and promote a political settlement. China will continue to play a constructive role in the political settlement of this crisis.

I thank you.

I thank the representative of China for his statement, and I give the floor to the representative of Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We thank the Russian Federation for organizing this meeting, and we also thank all of the participants for the information they provided. This meeting comes at a pivotal point where millions of civilians are deepening the inserted— The events that we saw show us how complex the crisis is and the diversity of perceptions surrounding its origin, development, and its potential settlement. The plurality of this should not make our dialogue impossible. We can have different viewpoints, But peace will only arrive when each party accepts that their concerns should be heard with responsibility and good faith. And that is precisely here that diplomacy comes into force by bringing what seems to be irreconcilable potentially. We are told that when dialogue stops, it's weapons which take up. And when this happens, then it's very difficult to bring peace back. In this regard, the DRC would like to say that we remain convinced that it's still possible and that the Security Council and the international community should preserve this space where we are looking for a lasting solution. Because peace cannot be decreed, it comes out of painstaking consultations for a greater good, the agreement and concord between peoples. Madam Chair, there's one reality that we must all accept. Whatever the legitimacy of the various reasons underlying this crisis, the civilian population are the ones which continue paying the heaviest price. Each day of the war increases human suffering, and more brings farther away from us the prospect of peace. Beyond all of the other considerations, we have men, women, and children who want to live in security and dignity. We therefore reaffirm our attachment to the Charter principles, respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and international law. And international humanitarian law. It is on these principles that our collective action is built for peace, which would be lasting and acceptable to all. We think that no military approach alone will bring a lasting resolution to the crisis. It is true that weapons can change the balance of forces, but they do not change the history or memory of people's fractures that are deepening, nor can they build trust or meet the concerns of the parties. And that is for that reason that the DRC continues thinking that only an open, sincere, and inclusive dialogue in good faith will allow us to go after the root causes of the conflict, meet the concerns of the parties, And allow us to arrive at lasting peace. It is in this spirit that we reiterate our appeal for a ceasefire, protection of civilians, and the return to diplomacy. It is when the positions are very far apart that diplomacy comes into play. It is the only place where we can bring divergencies together and bring trust gradually back and have just peace, have it rebuilt. We will continue protecting this viewpoint. We will be faithful to it. We'll be faithful to the UN Charter for the purposes of protecting international peace and security. I thank you.

I thank Representative of Democratic Republic of the Congo for his statement, and I give the floor to the

Thank you, Madam Chair.

We take note of the information shared and the testimonies provided by the briefers. The ARIA formula that brings us here today highlights in the concept note the subject of the root causes of the invasion of Ukraine, including human rights and the persecution faced by some peoples. Because of their freedom of religion, expression, or linguistic discrimination. In that regard, we reaffirm our conviction that no difference of religion or belief justifies the persecution of persons, nor can it serve as a basis for sustaining or legitimizing a war in any way. As we have said on repeated occasions, lasting peace, which within what we can do based on the fact that we have a voice on this council, we encourage, can only be built with respect for dignity, tolerance, and the recognition that diversity of beliefs, religions, among other things, enriches our societies instead of jeopardizing, threatening them. Chair, more than 4 years have passed since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine. During this time, The conflict has not only continued, it has intensified in a worrying cycle of violence, leaving unbearable figures of people killed and wounded, as well as millions of people displaced. The war has gone beyond the battlefield and continues to affect the civilian population through attacks against residential areas and other essential infrastructure. These actions highlight the vital need for the parties to fully respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and that they adopt all necessary measures to protect the civilian population. Human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law are unacceptable in any conflict regardless of the circumstances or the parties involved. Any complaint should be investigated independently, impartially, and in a way that is rooted in properly verified information with the aim of guaranteeing accountability strictly in accordance with international law. This war must end now. Quite frankly, it should have ended a long time ago. Panama reiterates once again that the parties must urgently comply with international humanitarian law and with genuine political will move towards an immediate ceasefire that will lay the groundwork for a just and sustainable peace. No military solution can replace dialogue, nor can it offer a lasting peace. Thank you very much.

I thank the representative of Panama for her statement, and I give the floor to the representative of Somalia.

Thank you. Madam Chair, I thank the Russian Federation for convening this meeting. We also thank the previous for their presentations. Understanding the fundamental causes of any conflict is essential in establishing a solid and enduring peace. To achieve a lasting and sustainable settlement, It's crucial to address the underlying factors. The protection of all civilians and the preservation of their fundamental rights are non-negotiable obligations enshrined in international human rights and humanitarian law. We note actions that restrict fundamental rights or deepen social divisions can exacerbate can exacerbate tensions and diminish the prospects for sustainable peace. My delegation emphasizes the importance of upholding international law and human rights principles in all circumstances. Ensuring equal protection and fostering mutual respect among all affected populations are vital tools for preserving for preventing further polarization and building the confidence necessary for future dialogue. Madam Chair, we remain convinced that there is no military solution to the conflict in Ukraine. Diplomacy, constructive engagement, and open channels of communication are the only viable means of bringing this crisis We urge all parties to prioritize de-escalation, exercise restraint, and commit to an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire. Every opportunity for peace must be seized and built upon. The international community must continue to encourage and support initiatives that can lay the groundwork for a constructive path towards a cessation of hostilities and a shared vision of common security. In conclusion, Madam Chair, we reiterate our call for de-escalation, renewed diplomatic engagement, and the pursuit of a negotiated, lasting peace in Ukraine and beyond. We stand ready to work with the Council members to support all genuine efforts towards diplomacy aimed at achieving a just and durable resolution. Thank you very much.

I thank the representative of Somalia for his statement, and I give the floor to the representative of Bahrain.

Thank you, Madam Chair. First of all, we'd like to thank the participants. And we are expecting an open discussion here. My countries are of the view that the respect for cultures, ethnicities, and the value of coexistence is the underpinning of security and stability. We think that consistent communities will only happen once we strengthen the culture of dialogue and rejected hate, and once we strengthen mutual respect amongst peoples under the Charter and international law. My country, in this regard, would like to reiterate the following: We need to promote the values of coexistence between cultures and civilizations for community stability and For regional and international peace and security. Madam Chair, my country reiterates its firm position in favor of dialogue and diplomacy so as to stop the Russia-Ukrainian war, and to do this through multilateral action and the various opportunities, and arrived at a lasting peaceful solution which takes into account the concerns of all parties and preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries, and allows for human losses, including children, to end under the Charter and international law and the relevant U.N. resolutions. To conclude, I would like to say that my country, the Kingdom of Bahrain, is ready to promote any and all initiatives so as to lessen the suffering and increase trust between parties for the future stability, peace, and prosperity on the European continent and everywhere in the world. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Bahrain for her statement, and I give the floor to the representative of Liberia.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Liberia thanks the convenors for the opportunity to take the floor and has taken note of the perspectives presented this morning. This discussion arrives at a moment when explanations for this war compete almost as fiercely as the weapons on the battlefield. Yet, amid the contest of narratives, one fact remains stubbornly immune to politics. Civilians continue to die. According to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission, At least 1,396 civilians were killed and 7,978 injured in the first 6 months of this year alone, the highest toll for any such period since 2022 and 37% higher than a year ago. Women, children, older persons, and persons with disability continue to carry a burden that none of them voted for and none of them can escape. The convenors have drawn attention to concerns relating to Russian-speaking communities, religious freedom in the Russian— in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Where credible allegations exist, they deserve impartial investigation. Human rights cannot be selective. Freedom of religion or belief and the protection of minorities Human rights must be upheld for all communities, everywhere, and on all sides. Protections owed to civilians must never become casualties of war. Cities continue to be struck. Homes continue to collapse. Families continue to flee. Humanitarian needs continue to grow. The sufferings produced by this war cannot be viewed only through one window while drawing the curtains over every other. Liberia comes to this discussion with the memory of his own conflict. We learned a difficult lesson. Wars often begin with certainty but end with exhaustion. The battlefield may determine positions, but it rarely determines peace. As one author said, Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime. Today, the consequences of this war extend far beyond Europe. Food security, fertilizer supplies, energy prices, and shipping costs continue to weigh on vulnerable economies across Africa and the wider Global South. Millions of people who have never seen Kyiv or Moscow nevertheless pay a daily tax imposed by this conflict. Madam Chair, perhaps the most tragic The saddest feature of war is that every side eventually claims to act for the people, while the people themselves become the principal casualties. Liberia therefore reiterates its consistent position for a support comprehensive and lasting peace. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Liberia for his statement, and I give the floor to the representative of United States.

Chair, I note the remarks of the briefers. Unfortunately, today's meeting does not bring us closer to an immediate ceasefire or a durable resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war.

Millions have suffered as a result of this war, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence. The killing needs to stop. The war must end. Only good-faith negotiation will end it, and so we urge Russia to immediately return to the negotiating table.

President Trump will help a deal— make a deal if a deal can be made, but it takes both sides.

Debates about the cause of war will not stop the killing. Only a true willingness to find a solution will save lives.

I thank you.

I thank the representative of the United States for his statement, and I give the floor to the representative of France.

France deplores Russia's new attempt to divert the attention of the Security Council by reversing responsibility. We regret. that this meeting is once again being used to promote a false narrative, to feed the disinformation campaign and serve Russian propaganda, rather than contributing to the peace efforts that France, Ukraine, and our international partners are constantly calling for. Let us reestablish the facts known to all. Directly involved in the conflict since 2014, Russia took a new step on February 24th, 2022, by launching a war of aggression against Ukraine in flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter. This aggression has been condemned on multiple occasions by the United Nations General Assembly by a very large majority. Since then, Russia has continued to violate the Charter, international law, and international humanitarian law in Ukraine. According to the concept note, which we have read carefully to fully understand the purpose of this meeting, Russia wishes to provide, and I quote, impartial firsthand information regarding human rights violations that it attributes to Ukraine. Well, Ukraine does allow the competent United Nations bodies to have free access to the territory it controls, unlike Russia. It therefore seems that a good way to provide impartial and firsthand information to member states would be for Russia to fully allow the relevant United Nations bodies access to the Ukrainian territories illegally occupied by the Russian Federation, as well as to the Russian national territory. in order to allow them to investigate the situation, including the dramatic situation in the places where Ukrainian prisoners of war are being held. As Russia continues its large-scale missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, with a devastating toll on civilians and the religious and cultural heritage of Ukraine, France reaffirms its unwavering support for Ukraine. The G7 Summit in Abidjan And then the NATO Summit in Ankara confirmed our shared determination to continue our support to Ukraine, which defends its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and which has the right to defend itself against Russian aggression. The Coalition of the Willing Summit in Paris on July 13th illustrated our commitment to creating the conditions for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, including by working on robust security guarantees. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, supported by the vast majority of member states, including Ukraine, Ukraine has called for a complete, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire. It is time for Russia to heed these calls, stop its irresponsible escalation, and seriously engage in negotiations. I thank you.

I thank the representative of France for his statement and give the floor to the representative of Greece.

Thank you, Madam Chair. This meeting, convened amidst Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine, comes a mere few days after the release of the latest UN report detailing verified Ukrainian civilian casualties. The statistics are harrowing, with June being the bloodiest month since April 2022, at the start of the full-scale invasion. Civilian casualties now exceed 65,000 people, with almost 3,800 being children. These numbers are impossible to ignore or brush over. Against this backdrop, we would like to make 3 points. First, the human cost of the war in Ukraine continues to be devastating. Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict. More than half of the country's energy infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, in an attempt to erode civilian morale and force Ukraine into capitulation. This pattern of attacks against Ukrainian cities is quite evident and has been escalating during recent months. International humanitarian law prohibits deliberate attacks against civilians and civilian objects and regulates warfare through respect of the principles of distinction, proportionality, precaution and military necessity. These attacks should cease immediately. Regarding human rights, we are reminded of this latest report by the OHCHR, which documents systematic violations against Ukrainian prisoners of war and residents of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. We call on Russia to comply with its respective obligations. Second, every allegation of violations of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, irrespective of the alleged perpetrator, must be thoroughly, independently and impartially investigated, and those responsible must be held accountable. International law applies equally to all, and credible accountability requires independent judicial and investigative mechanisms operating in accordance with due process and established international standards. We therefore continue to support the work of the relevant UN institutions, such as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, but also the independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, and other international mechanisms mandated to establish the facts and preserve evidence. We call on Russia to cooperate with them and to facilitate their access, including to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and the Russian areas affected by hostilities. Third, and as a matter of priority, Greece, along with the vast majority of the international community and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire to create the grounds for dialogue and diplomacy to resume. We reiterate this call today, as well as our firm conviction that a peace settlement can only be just and lasting when upholding international law and the principles of the UN Charter.

I thank you. I thank the representative of Greece for his statement, and I give the floor to the representative of Denmark.

Madam Chair, we have all witnessed Russia's performative outrage in recent Security Council meetings against what it labels Quote, the criminal Kyiv regime, unquote, and, quote, the warmongering and Russophobic collective West, unquote. Russia has even called those meetings, which include factual UN briefings on the terrible humanitarian suffering that follows Russia's attack on Ukrainian civilians, a waste of time. Yet today, we've been convened in another Russian attempt to distract, deny and deflect from its own crimes committed against Ukraine, through its unprovoked full-scale invasion, now in its 5th year. It is this attempt— today's ARIA meeting— that is a cynical abuse of Council members' time and resources. Madam Chair, we have heard that Russia is the sole defender of the Orthodox Church, when Russian drones recently nearly burned Ukraine's most sacred site, the 1,000-year-old Monastery of the Caves, to the ground. That the Kremlin is protecting Russian-speaking Ukrainians when Moscow's military action has laid waste to the temporarily occupied territories in the east and south that were their heartlands. That Moscow is, quote, denazifying Kyiv, unquote, a phrase that is not only entirely untrue, but that denies the reality that Ukrainians are utterly opposed to being subjugated by Russia once more. Such blatant disinformation should not normally be dignified with a response. But let me briefly set out some of the facts. Russia alone is responsible for this war, having invaded its peaceful neighbour in a flagrant breach of the UN Charter. Despite Moscow's attempt to spread disinformation, the overwhelming majority of UN Member States took a clear stance in the General Assembly in March 2022. And indeed, in every vote since. This matter will also soon be heard by the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine in The Hague. The International Criminal Court determined there was sufficient evidence of Russia's war crimes in deporting thousands of Ukrainian children, for it to issue arrest warrants for Russia's President and Commissioner for Children's Rights. Russia's consistent grave violations against children has led the Secretary-General to list the Russian Armed Forces in the last 4 annual reports on children and armed conflict. Moreover, systematic and recurrent use of torture sexual violence by Russian military forces against prisoners of war and civilian detainees have also led to their listing in this year's Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Report. Russia continues to launch ballistic missiles and long-range drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, night after night after night, in blatant disregard of international humanitarian law. Since 2022, it has killed or injured over 65,000 civilians. Madam Chair, while the facts I have just mentioned do not fit the Kremlin's false narrative, they cannot be ignored. The real root causes of this terrible scale of death, destruction and misery being inflicted on Ukraine on a daily basis were Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and occupation of parts of the Donbas in 2014, and then its equally illegal full-scale invasion in 2022, which continues to this day. It is beyond high time for Russia to stop this senseless war, accept the immediate and unconditional ceasefire that Ukraine has been offering, and engage in good faith talks to achieve a just and lasting peace in line with the UN Charter. I thank you.

And now I give the floor to the representative of Latvia.

Vladiya has grown accustomed to Russia's blatant lies, imaginative interpretation of events, and blame-shifting from its own grave violations. Today is yet another such example. I would recommend the concept note and the briefings from this event to students as a case study for disinformation, lies, and propaganda. Let us see how many one can find in every sentence. However, Russia's actions are very dangerous and reckless. Russia is spreading lies, then using them as a pretext to start wars, escalate attacks against innocent civilians, and issue new threats against countries. According to Russian law, a terrorist and an extremist is anyone who dares to speak out. UN experts have an apt assessment when they condemned, I quote, this deliberate strategy of using extremism and counter-terrorism frameworks to dismantle civil society, criminalize and imprison human rights defenders, and target those seeking their support, end of quote. This abuse of terminology weakens the fight against actual terrorists and extremists that pose danger to global security and civilians. It dissolves these definitions into tools for repression. Currently, 875 organizations and 22,085 individuals have been placed on Russia's list of terrorists, of extremists. This includes political opponents, anti-war advocates, human rights defenders, journalists, anti-corruption activists, indigenous peoples and minority organizations, and Nobel Peace Prize laureates. Russian authorities use this list not only against their own citizens. A growing number of affected individuals are nationals of other countries. In today's stage-managed spectacle, Russia promised unbiased and factual information. Propaganda is not a fact. Opinion is not a fact. Unbiased information means full and unimpeded access for the UN system and independent monitors to establish verified facts. It is the existence of free and independent media. The concept note argues that Russia's aggression against Ukraine, I quote, will only result in lasting and sustainable settlement when its root causes are addressed and finally eliminated. Any attempts to downplay them as unimportant are steps in the wrong direction, as they serve to prolong the existing state of affairs. End of quote. Latvia will not downplay anything. Russia has not been able to accept the existing state of affairs since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russia cannot accept that Ukraine is a free and sovereign state. For Russia, a lasting and sustainable settlement means the end of territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty of Ukraine. The wrong direction are the principles enshrined in the UN Charter. This continued imperial Russian mindset is the root cause of the war to be addressed and finally eliminated to achieve a lasting and sustainable settlement. We call on Russia to stop wasting the Council's time with its bogus claims, propaganda, and agree to a ceasefire and meaningfully engage in negotiations for a just and lasting peace. I thank you.

And now I give the floor to the representative of United Kingdom.

Thank you. Colleagues, Russia has brought us here today. to discuss a reign of terror against Ukraine, including human rights abuses and breaches of international legal obligations. In the past month, Russia has launched 6 mass attacks, including over 588 missiles against Ukrainian cities, many far from the front lines. In July alone, 169 Ukrainian civilians were killed, And over 1,300 were injured. Russian attacks have caused repeated damage to civilian objects, including Ukraine's civilian energy infrastructure, causing excessive harm to civilians. Total Ukrainian casualties of this war to date now exceed 65,000. The United Nations continues to verify systematic human rights violations by Russia against Ukrainian civilians, most recently in the Secretary-General's reports on conflict-related sexual violence and children in armed conflict. This includes the killing and maiming of 753 children attributed to Russian armed forces, as well as a pattern of sexual violence against detained Ukrainian prisoners of war, and civilian detainees in the temporarily occupied territories by Russian armed and security forces. Russia continues to refuse to return over 20,000 forcibly deported Ukrainian children. Access for UN officials, as well as NGOs and humanitarian organizations, to civilians in the temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine remains severely limited. It is clear which country is conducting a reign of terror in Ukraine right now. Russia's mythology about the origins of its aggression in Ukraine may evolve, but the facts on the ground do not. This war began when Russia launched an illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, violating its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ukraine alone has the right to choose its security alliances, its political leadership through its democratic elections, and how it exercises its inherent right to self-defense in line with international law. Under President Zelensky, Ukraine has repeatedly committed to a comprehensive ceasefire and is ready to engage in serious peace negotiations. Russia has not. If Russia wants to improve the lives of all Ukrainians, including Russian speakers, then it should end its war without delay.

Thank you.

Dear colleagues, as we conclude this meeting, I would like to make just a few short observations. Despite the deepening divisions within Ukrainian society, crimes committed for decades against Russian-speaking citizens, Russian Orthodox Church, and all those crimes that are committed against Ukrainian citizens right now through forced mobilization, with detentions of dissent, and etc. Kiev and the Western supporters, as you see, continue continue to blame Russia and aggressively, very aggressively whitewash Kyiv's dire human rights record. Today you have heard in detail from our briefers and seen compelling footage unequivocally highlighting the inhumane nature of Ukrainian authorities, which, aided and abetted by the collective West, unconstitutionally seized power in 2014. Colleagues, you probably thought that this firsthand evidence that our briefers presented simply cannot be denied, but it can. This evidence was denied just a few moments ago by Western countries. They again denied— they don't want to hear. They want to silence it. And the answer is very simple, because if they admitted that, that would become an admission of their own guilt, because these crimes, this blood is upon their heads and their hands. But at the same time, we hope that this subjective information will help you to better understand the root causes of this conflict. This is crucial because no just and lasting settlement can be achieved without their eradication. And I want to thank those delegations that talked today about equal respect to cultures, ethnicities, human rights that should be respected towards everyone, that talked about dialogue, about diplomacy and respect to languages, who said that root causes of conflict should be resolved and all civilians should be protected and all people, whatever the language they speak, are equal and should be treated equally. You should be mindful that the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter require universal impartial, and non-selective protection of human rights regardless of race, sex, language, or religion. Therefore, it's our collective responsibility to condemn the criminal policies of the Kyiv regime against its own citizens, including the suppression of the rights of the Russian-speaking community and canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. We expect a clear and principled response from you regarding violations that we have highlighted during this meeting, as well as an insistence that the fundamental rights of the oppressed are fully restored. To conclude, I want to thank our briefers. I see that they really want to respond to what they've just heard and to present the evidence once again. Unfortunately, we do not have an opportunity for the further the discussions due to limitations on time and interpretation, but I want to thank you once again for your testimony. So now you understand, and you even better understand, how important it is to do what you are doing, to work further on conveying the information about what happened to you, to the people in Ukraine, to you yourself. And we wish you good luck in all your future endeavors. Thank you very much for everyone who attended and listened and spoke here.