UN human rights chief urges Russia to stop using force against Ukraine

GENEVA

The UN human rights chief on Tuesday urged Russia to "immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine," as Moscow's war on its neighbor is entering its second winter.

"There is only one solution to this tragic and far-reaching conflict: a just peace," Volker Turk said. "In accordance with General Assembly Resolution ES-11/1 and the binding order by the International Court of Justice, the Russian Federation should immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine."

His remarks came at the Human Rights Council interactive dialogue on the findings of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the situation of human rights in Ukraine.

The world's attention, he said, "seems jaded" by the multiple crises worldwide and "the situation in Ukraine has been added to a litany of continuous suffering."

As of Dec. 4, the OHCHR has recorded and confirmed over 10,000 civilian deaths, including more than 560 children, resulting from the Russia-Ukraine war which began on Feb. 24, 2022, Turk said.

An additional 18,500 civilians have been confirmed as injured, with many of them suffering severe injuries, he also said, adding that it is likely that the actual number of casualties is "much higher."

Since the war began, mines and explosive remnants of war have caused over 1,000 civilian casualties, according to the UN human rights chief.

Also, Turk said that more than 1,300 education and health facilities have been damaged or destroyed during this period.

"The targeting of civilian infrastructure, including facilities related to grain production and export, and the practices of arbitrary detention and torture must cease immediately," he said.

Potential safety threats at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant 'deeply' concerning

Turk urged both Russia and Ukraine to ensure the safety of Ukraine's nuclear power plants, saying he is "deeply concerned" by the potential safety threats at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine.

"I further urge both the Russian Federation and Ukraine to do everything in their power to ensure the safety and security of the operations at Ukraine's nuclear power plants," he said.

"I also continue to be deeply concerned about potential safety threats at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant – one of the largest nuclear facilities in Europe – which continues to be occupied by Russian forces."

The use of heavy weapons in close proximity to the site, as well as concerns about mismanagement of its complex systems, could "result in catastrophic harm to human rights," he warned.

On the issue of forcible transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia, he said that the UN agency documented the return of two children to Ukraine during the reporting period.

"I reiterate our call for the prompt return of all deported and transferred individuals, including children," he added.