16 December 2024
Thank you, Madam President.
I thank Ms. Doughten for her sobering briefing.
Since the day Russia started its aggression against Ukraine, in a blatant violation of the UN Charter, lives have been upended, cities shattered, and the very principles of sovereignty and peace systematically trampled upon.
Russia’s unprovoked aggression continues to devastate critical civilian infrastructure, particularly Ukraine’s energy systems. Last Friday, in a brutal continuation of the massive strikes on November 17 as well as November 27 to 28, Russia unleashed hundreds of missiles and drones on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
These merciless attacks have caused widespread power outages, leaving millions without electricity or heating, and severely damaged key power plants and substations. We are appalled by the scale of the devastation and strongly condemn these attacks by Russia. Such attacks further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in harsh winter.
Alarmingly, this situation has entered a dangerous phase with the deployment of DPRK troops to Russia, now engaged in combat against Ukraine. We are deeply alarmed by the deepening cooperation between the two. We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, this unlawful, unjustified, and unacceptable military cooperation, ignoring all the relevant Security Council resolutions.
Madam President,
The deliberate targeting of energy infrastructure is deplorable and has far-reaching consequences. Beyond energy systems, the ripple effects have impacted other facilities, including medical centers, straining already overstretched emergency services and placing first responders in grave danger from secondary strikes while they carry out lifesaving missions.
In this context, my delegation is deeply troubled by Russia’s clear and persistent disregards of international law, particularly international humanitarian law (IHL). Targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure constitutes a flagrant breach of IHL. The global community must ensure that those responsible face justice, holding perpetrators of IHL violations and other egregious acts fully accountable.
Madam President,
Japan has been unwavering in its commitment to assist Ukraine in addressing the grave challenges stemming from these attacks.
Last month, Japan delivered a substantial package of power-related equipment to Ukraine, including 1 gas turbine and 15 variable frequency drives for water pump facilities to Kharkiv City, two gas-piston cogeneration units for Odesa City, and 32 small-scale power generators to the Kharkiv Municipal Agency of Water Resources. These efforts will mitigate the severe impact of winter conditions on the civilian population.
The international community must act collectively to assist Ukraine in addressing these urgent needs and rebuilding its critical infrastructure.
Japan once again strongly demands that Russia withdraw from Ukraine immediately and unconditionally.
Japan also affirms its unwavering solidarity with the Ukrainian people and will continue to stand by Ukraine, advocating for the protection of civilians and the restoration of essential services.
I thank you.