Ukraine's UN representative calls for Russia to be barred from UN peacekeeping and police missions

Andrii Melnyk, Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has called for Russian personnel to be barred from participating in UN peacekeeping and police missions and said that Russia should leave the United Nations.

Source: Melnyk at a UN Security Council meeting, as quoted by Interfax-Ukraine

Details: Speaking at the Security Council, Melnyk criticised the remarks made by Russia's Permanent Representative Vasily Nebenzya regarding the UN Secretary General's report on conflict-related sexual violence.

According to Melnyk, the Russian side is rejecting the findings of independent international mechanisms despite documented cases of sexual violence committed by Russian military personnel.

He noted that the Russian armed forces have now been mentioned for the third consecutive year in the UN Secretary-General's report on children and armed conflict and have also been included in the list of parties responsible for conflict-related sexual violence.

Quote from Melnyk: "A military force that has been blacklisted by the Secretary General for conflict-related sexual violence cannot and shall not be a contributor to any operations under the UN flag. Russia's personnel shall be banned from UN peacekeeping and police missions."

Details: Melnyk also argued that if Russia continues to reject resolutions of the UN General Assembly and the findings of UN bodies, it should leave the organisation.

"Maybe it is time to say goodbye and get out of the UN," the Ukrainian diplomat said.

Background: At the end of May, the UN added Russia and Israel for the first time to its annual blacklist of parties responsible for conflict-related sexual violence.

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