The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has taken a new turn as Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, accused Ukraine of endangering civilians by deploying Western-provided air defense systems in residential areas. Nebenzia’s claims were made during a Security Council meeting, where he attributed civilian casualties to the malfunctioning of Ukrainian air defense missiles and not Russian strikes.
Ukraine's Deployment of Air Defense Systems in Residential Areas
According to Nebenzia, the deployment of Western-provided air defense systems in residential areas by
Ukraine has resulted in civilian casualties when these systems malfunction and inadvertently target innocent civilians. He emphasized that the presence of these air defense systems in residential areas has led to unintentional harm to civilians, pointing to the deaths and injuries caused during the recent barrage of drones and missiles across the country.
Counter Claims by Ukrainian and British Representatives
In response to Nebenzia’s accusations, Ukrainian envoy Sergey Kislitsa condemned Russia’s actions, alleging that Moscow was responsible for rocket terrorism against civilians and calling for measures to curb Russia’s military capabilities. The British representative also weighed in, acknowledging the death toll but attributing a lower casualty count to the effectiveness of Ukrainian air defenses in intercepting incoming threats.
Russian Allegations and Evidence Presented
Nebenzia refuted the accusations leveled against Russia and presented a counterargument by asserting that videos available online demonstrate how Ukrainian anti-raid missiles have failed to hit their intended targets, leading to unintended strikes on residential buildings and civilian sites. He further contended that fragments of projectiles causing damage in civilian areas were a result of Ukrainian air defense systems being positioned in those locations. Nebenzia backed his claims by referencing a video, accessible via a QR code, which he presented during the meeting. The video purportedly depicts a burning projectile crashing into a high-rise residential building.
Intensity of <a class="wpil_keyword_link" href="https://topnblog.com/biden-concedes-failure-of-airstrikes-on-houthis/" title="Airstrikes" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Airstrikes</a> and Conflicting Reports
Reports from Ukraine described the recent airstrikes as the most significant escalation since February 2022, with widespread damage across multiple regions. Alleged targets of the strikes included defense industry sites, military airfield infrastructure, depots storing artillery munitions, naval drones, and fuel for military vehicles, as well as Ukrainian troop positions. In contrast, the Ukrainian military claimed to have successfully intercepted and neutralized the majority of incoming missiles and drones.
Conclusion
The recent exchange at the UN Security Council underscores the deepening tensions between Russia and Ukraine, with each side presenting conflicting narratives regarding the events that unfolded during the airstrikes. As the situation continues to evolve, international scrutiny and diplomatic efforts will be crucial in seeking a resolution to the conflict.
Source of the information provided in this article: www.rt.com
