UN Secretary General Says There Is Escalation Of Human Rights Violations In Ukraine

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres gives a statement after the UN Security Council meeting to discuss the Ukraine crisis with Russia in New York, USA, Wednesday (23/2/2022). (Photo: ANTARA/REUTERS/Carlo Allegri)

JAKARTA - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday that the escalation of Russia's military operations in Ukraine was leading to increased human rights abuses and that the global body was monitoring those violations with teams on the ground.

"The increase in military operations by the Russian Federation in Ukraine leads to an increase in human rights violations," Guterres said in a recorded speech at the opening of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

"We have to show everyone in Ukraine that we support them in their time of need," Guterres continued.

In the same speech, Guterres said that a report to be published on Monday by a UN panel on adaptation to climate change represented "another death knell for the world as we know it", and urged adherence to the 2015 Paris accord.

Previously, Russia used its veto power against a draft UN Security Council resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The draft UN Security Council resolution demands that Russia immediately stop using its force against Ukraine and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its military forces from Ukraine's internationally recognized borders.