Statement by United Nations Watch, delivered by UN Watch’s Morris B. Abram Fellow Eden Kohane before the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, 22 September 2025. Agenda Item 4, Interactive dialogue with Commission of Inquiry Ukraine.
Full Speech:
United Nations Watch welcomes the Commission of Inquiry’s update and is gravely concerned about human rights in Ukraine.
Russia’s relentless bombardment across Ukraine deliberately targeting critical infrastructure and indiscriminately killing civilians has escalated in both scale and brutality.
Since this Council’s last session, Ukraine has endured its deadliest month since Russia’s invasion began with 286 civilian deaths recorded in July.
Only last Wednesday, Russia launched a drone attack in the Poltava region killing six civilians and striking a gas station. The very next day, a wave of strikes hit substations powering Ukraine’s national rail network, disrupting infrastructure essential for civilian life and the country’s defense.
Russia has waged this brutal offensive not alone but with the backing of UN member states.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has fueled Russia’s war in Ukraine by supplying Shahed drones and transferring technology that enables Moscow to manufacture them domestically.
North Korea is sustaining Russia’s offensive by deploying an estimated 14,000 troops to Ukraine.
Even children are not spared from Russia’s aggression. Since 2022 more than 6,000 Ukrainian children have been taken to Russia and occupied Crimea held in over 200 facilities where they are subjected to political indoctrination and in many cases military training.
This Council must speak out for these stolen children, protect Ukraine’s civilians, defend its sovereignty, and ensure accountability for Russia and its supporters.
Thank you, Mr. President.
