30 August 2024
Mr. President,
Distinguished members of the Security Council,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am providing this briefing on behalf of the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu.
The Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – launched on 24 February 2022 in violation of the UN Charter and of international law – continues to inflict large scale suffering on the people of Ukraine.
Regrettably, the security situation continues to deteriorate. The escalating attacks on Ukrainian regions have led to more civilian deaths and injuries as well as massive destruction of civilian infrastructure, including energy, health and education facilities.
The Secretary-General remains greatly concerned by the worsening impact on civilians from the increased fighting in eastern Ukraine, as well as along the Ukrainian-Russian border, including in the Kursk and Belgorod regions of the Russian Federation. He urges all to act responsibly and ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The continued and intensified attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are unacceptable. All parties to any armed conflict have an obligation to protect civilians in armed conflict as well as to comply with applicable international law, including international humanitarian law. Let me say it clearly: directing an attack against civilians or civilian objects is prohibited. I also reiterate that the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack in international humanitarian law must be respected. All attacks contrary to these obligations must stop immediately.
Mr. President,
Turning now to the subject of this briefing, the provision of military assistance and transfers of arms and ammunition to the armed forces of Ukraine have continued.
Information from various governments regarding these transfers is accessible through open sources. The transfers have reportedly included heavy conventional weapons such as battle tanks, armoured combat vehicles, combat aircraft, helicopters, large-calibre artillery systems, missile systems and uncrewed combat aerial vehicles, as well as remotely operated munitions, and small arms and light weapons and their ammunition.
There have also been reports of States transferring, or planning to transfer, weapons such as uncrewed aerial vehicles, ballistic missiles and ammunition to the Russian armed forces and that these weapons have been used in Ukraine.
I reiterate that any transfer of weapons and ammunition must take place consistently with the applicable international legal framework, including of course, relevant Security Council resolutions.
Reports related to the use of cluster munitions and widespread contamination with mines and explosive remnants of war in Ukraine are deeply concerning.
The universal participation in and the full implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of AntiPersonnel Mines and on their Destruction, and the Convention on Cluster Munitions and the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons must remain a priority. I appeal to all States to uphold their obligations under these treaties and to reaffirm their value and importance.
Mr. President,
To mitigate the human cost of weapons, States must exercise utmost responsibility in their arms and ammunition transfers. Last week, States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty convened in Geneva for the Tenth Conference of States Parties. They acknowledged the importance of universal adherence to and effective implementation of the Treaty in advancing its purpose to contribute to international and regional peace, security and stability, reduce human suffering and promote cooperation, transparency, and responsible action by States Parties in the international trade in conventional arms.
The transfer of weapons and ammunition into any armed conflict carries the risk of diversion and, by extension raises serious escalation concerns.
Measures to prevent and mitigate the risk of diversion of weapons and ammunition are key for preventing further instability and insecurity in Ukraine, the region and beyond. Such efforts by all parties involved in arms transfers will also be essential to post-conflict recovery.
This requires supply chain transparency and cooperation and information exchange between importing, transit, and exporting countries. Diversion risks exist at each stage of the life cycle of a weapon, including manufacture, before and during transfer, post-delivery storage in stockpiles, and end use or disposal.
Concrete counter-diversion measures include enhancement of marking at the time of manufacture and import, record-keeping and tracing practices, comprehensive pre-transfer diversion risk assessments, end-user certificates including non-transfer clauses, post-shipment verifications and diversion monitoring and analysis.
In June this year, States met to review progress made in the implementation of the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and its International Tracing Instrument. States adopted, by consensus, action-oriented measures for 2024-2030 in order to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons throughout their life cycle.
All States should now implement these commitments and other related commitments, including those in the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management, as well as the obligations under all instruments to which they are a party to prevent the diversion of arms and regulate the international arms trade.
Mr. President,
Since 24 February 2022, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has recorded 35,869 civilian casualties in Ukraine:
11,662 killed and 24,207 injured. According to the OHCHR, regrettably, July
2024 was the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since October 2022, with
at least 219 civilians killed and 1,018 injured.
The use of armed uncrewed aerial vehicles and missiles by the Russian Federation continues to cause civilian deaths and injuries as well as damage to civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.
In addition, there have also been reports of a number of cross-border strikes using missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles by Ukraine inside the Russian Federation, with some, according to the Russian authorities, reportedly resulting in civilian casualties.
Just like any other weapons or weapons systems, armed uncrewed aerial vehicles and missiles must not be used in a manner inconsistent with international humanitarian law.
All parties to an armed conflict should refrain from any actions that could endanger civilians, including by avoiding the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, and ultimately should aim to take combat out of urban areas altogether.
Mr. President,
Distinguished members of the Security Council, I wish to reiterate the United Nations commitment to support all meaningful efforts to bring a just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant General Assembly resolutions. It is time to put an end to this conflict.
I thank you very much for your attention.