More than 50 people were killed in a November 2 strike in the Zaporizhzhia region, according to lsm.lv.
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže chaired a United Nations Security Council meeting in New York on Monday, lsm.lv reported. Latvia holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council for November.
The session was convened at Ukraine’s request following intensified Russian attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure. Strikes on a humanitarian aid distribution point and a civilian shelter in Zaporizhzhia killed the 50 individuals, according to lsm.lv.
Braže called on Russia to immediately halt attacks and agree to an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire, lsm.lv reported. She stated that Russia’s intention is to destroy the Ukrainian nation, adding that aggression is growing increasingly brutal.
Braže cited facts regarding killed Ukrainian civilians, including children, which she characterized as a manifestation of genocide, according to lsm.lv. She noted the case of 14-month-old Anhelina, killed by a Russian drone while in a stroller in a park, whose mother Inna later died in the hospital from injuries.
La.lv reported that Russia has forcibly transferred 20,651 Ukrainian children to Russia or its controlled territories, an action Braže labeled a war crime. The minister also stated that roughly 1.6 million Ukrainian children remain in Russian-occupied territories, where they face ideological indoctrination and militarization, according to mfa.gov.lv.
UNICEF data cited by lsm.lv indicates that monthly casualties among children have reached their highest level since the full-scale war began.
Braže stated that Russia attacked not only Ukraine in 2022 but also the core principles of the UN Charter, lsm.lv reported. She noted that as a permanent Security Council member, Russia used its veto to block council action, leaving Ukraine to defend both itself and the UN Charter.
La.lv noted that European security architecture relies on the UN Charter, and Braže emphasized that Russia has violated every core principle of that framework. Mfa.gov.lv reported that Russia’s military goals have failed, leading Moscow to use terror against civilians to make life in Ukraine unbearable.
Braže pointed to the closure of the Black Sea grain corridor, which threatens food supplies for millions worldwide, lsm.lv reported. She also highlighted Russia’s technological and military cooperation with Iran and North Korea, alongside NATO airspace violations and sabotage operations.
The Russian representative at the Security Council rejected all accusations and responded with Kremlin propaganda regarding torture chambers and corruption in Ukraine, according to lsm.lv. Braže expressed support for the next round of peace talks in Abu Dhabi while stressing that a successful process requires an immediate ceasefire and the involvement of both Ukraine and Europe.
Latvia convened the session at Ukraine’s request to address massive Russian attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure, including the November 2 strikes in the Zaporizhzhia region that killed over 50 people, according to lsm.lv.
Russia has forcibly transferred at least 20,651 Ukrainian children to Russia or its controlled territories, a figure reported by la.lv.
Latvia serves as the president of the UN Security Council for the month of November, according to lsm.lv.