US explains how Russia distracted UN Security Council from its largest air attack on Ukraine

The United States has accused Russia of deliberately distracting the UN Security Council with the topic of Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, which took place a decade ago, while Moscow was preparing its largest-ever air attack on Ukrainian cities.

Source: Ukrinform news agency, with reference to John Kelley, Political Minister Counsellor to the US Mission to the UN, during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council

Quote: "Two days ago, the Russian Federation organised a Council meeting to discuss events from ten years ago. Russia claimed a discussion on the Revolution of Dignity would allow council members to ‘better understand how these events affected the present situation in Ukraine.’"

Details: He called this preposterous and stressed that at the same time, Moscow was preparing a large-scale air attack against Ukraine.

"This is what Russia demanded the Council be distracted with this week, while it was planning its largest aerial assault against Ukraine, its cities and its critical infrastructure since the beginning of its illegal full-scale invasion," Kelley said.

In this regard, he reiterated the US position announced by President Biden on Friday, calling Russia's attack a "stark reminder" that Putin has not abandoned his goal of destroying Ukraine and stressing that he must be stopped.

"We ask all Council members here today to join us in condemning in the strongest terms this abhorrent attack on cities and civilian infrastructure across Ukraine," he added.

He also pointed out that no criminal lie by the Russians when it claims "it only attacks military targets" will erase or hide the ruins across the country, as well as the thousands of innocent casualties lost since the beginning of the full-scale war.

Background: 

• On the night of 29 December, Russia carried out its largest ever air attack on Ukraine. Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odesa, Lviv, Zaporizhzhia and other cities were hit. 
• The Ukrainian Air Force stated that Russia had employed nearly every kind of weaponry at its disposal. Air defence systems managed to shoot down 114 out of 158 Russian air targets.
• The President's Office reported earlier that 26 people had been killed and more than 120 wounded.
• Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said that as of 19:30, 30 people had been killed and more than 160 wounded as a result of the large-scale Russian attack on 29 December.

Support UP or become our patron!