Mr. President,

Let me thank the Deputy High Commissionerfor her presentation and update. 

We appreciate the work of the UN Monitoring Mission whose findings contribute enormously to reporting on human rights situation in my country. The 24threport contains new, numerous facts of human rights violations brought to the Ukrainian soil by the Russian aggression.  

As a party to the armed conflict, Russia continues fully disregarding the provisions of the Minsk agreements.Killings, indiscriminate shelling, arbitrary detentions, tortures, persecutions are just fragments of the overall picture in the occupied areas of Donbas.

In November, Russia organized so-called “elections” in the occupied Donbas. This is nothing else but a provocation, an outrage against the Minsk agreements and Ukraine’s sovereignty.The results of these sham “elections”, just like those that took place in Crimea in September 2016 and March 2018, are null and void and have no legal consequences. 

We deplore that the Mission’s access to the occupied territories in Donbas has been restricted, and it has not been able to fully resume its operations there for several months in a row.Lately Russia opened a new front, this time at sea, in its disregard for both international law and human lives. 

Let me take this opportunity to thank all States who supported the new resolution on militarization of Crimea.The slow stifling of commercial navigation through the Sea of Azov and of Ukrainian ports there continues. It has particularly affected the region already suffering from the impact of the Russian military invasion, thus violating economic and social rights of the residents. 

On top of that, by carrying out a deliberate armed attack on November 25 on Ukrainian naval vesselsin the Black Sea, Russia committed an open act of military aggression.We demand that the aggressor state abide by international humanitarian law and treat the captured Ukrainian servicemen humanely and in full compliance with the Third Geneva Convention of 1949.

The recent open acts of Russian aggression led to the introduction of Martial law for a 30-day period. Ukraine was compelled to take this step. But this is in no way a step towards abusing human rights of Ukrainian citizens, or a means by the Government to disregard its responsibilities in this domain. Ukraine continues to comply with its human rights obligations.

Mr. President,

As in the past, Russia persisted in attempts to hide its crimes in Crimea, denying the Mission entry to the peninsula. While we commend the Mission’s activities in  following human rights situation there from mainland Ukraine, we insist on full implementation of the relevant provisions of the UNGA resolutions 71/205 and 72/190.

In the context of overall assessment of the human rights situation in Crimea, we have also taken note of the recent findings of the Human Rights Houses Mission entitled “Crimea: Breaking the Wall of Silence”. There is a very telling quote in it: “Crimea used to be a politically active region, with its own mentality. Now it is as if everybody has inhaled some kind of gas – no one speaks, there is silence here, like in a cemetery”.

Climate of uncertainty and fear – that’s what it is.Proper monitoring of the situation on the ground is imperative, and therefore we call upon all UN Member-States to support the updated draft resolution on human rights in Crimea to be considered later this month by the UNGA.

Mr President,

I cannot overlook the recent developments in the life of the Orthodox community in Ukraine.The All-Ukrainian Orthodox Unity Council held last Saturday in Kyiv became a watershed event. Creation of an autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church is broadly regarded as a guarantee of freedom of belief and a key to social harmony. Yet, there is no state church, and there will never be one.

The President and other high officials of Ukraine have repeatedly issued strong statements defending full respect for religious freedom, for the believers of all denominations. The law enforcement agencies have been taking unprecedented measures to avert any provocations or violence and to protect citizen’s rights and freedom of belief. This is and will continue to be a consistent policy of the Government.Finally, I would like to reconfirm our readiness to further extend full support and cooperation to the HRMMU.

I thank you.

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