Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown condemns reports of the declining
humanitarian situation in the Ukrainian territories temporarily
under Russian control and Russia's attempts to erase Ukrainian
identity.
"Thank you, Madam Chair. Firstly, I would like to thank you and
your team for convening last week’s Special Permanent
Council. We heard 22 statements condemning Russia’s heinous
attacks and underscoring our unwavering support for Ukraine. We
must, and will, continue to hold Russia to account for failing to
uphold the OSCE’s founding principles and abide by international
humanitarian and human rights law.
The humanitarian situation in the regions of Ukraine temporarily
under Russian control is deeply concerning. Millions of people
live in these areas where access for humanitarian organisations
has been mostly impossible. Reports suggest civilians are
struggling to access water, food, shelter and other essential
services. Russia has repeatedly ignored calls to allow
humanitarians safe access to these areas. Russia claims to have
“liberated” these territories. Instead, it has brought hardship
and suffering. There are reports that Russia has carried out
enforced disappearances, summary executions of civilians, and
unlawful detention and torture, especially targeting civil
servants, pro-Ukraine activists and journalists, and other
civilians presumed to oppose the occupation.
We condemn Russia’s decision to hold Russian presidential
elections in Ukraine this year, further violating Ukraine’s
independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia will
not succeed in legitimising its attempted illegal annexation in
this way. As the UN General Assembly made overwhelmingly clear in
October 2022, these regions are and always will be
Ukrainian.
Russia’s despicable and systematic attempt to erase Ukrainian
identity, and with it, Ukraine’s future, is unfortunately not
limited to changes on a map. Ukrainian children have been
targeted by Russia’s appalling forced deportation strategy.
We are seriously concerned by reports that over 19,000 Ukrainian
children have been forcibly deported to Russia or temporarily
controlled Russian territory since Russia launched its full-scale
invasion; that fewer than 400 have so far been returned to
Ukraine; and that a senior Russian politician has even illegally
adopted a Ukrainian child.
Under a new Russian citizenship law passed in January, Russian
authorities claim they can confer Russian citizenship upon
vulnerable Ukrainian children deported to Russia. We call upon
Russia to cease these deportations immediately. We condemn these
actions, and are determined to hold to account those responsible
for forcibly deporting and attempting to indoctrinate Ukrainian
children.
The UK is pleased to be joining the International Coalition for
the Return of Ukrainian Children tomorrow. We welcome its
establishment and fully endorse the joint Declaration. This is an
important step towards a global coordinated effort to return
Ukrainian children to their homeland, and an initiative the UK
fully supports.
In closing, Madam Chair, we have raised the case of Vladimir
Kara-Murza, a dual British-Russian national imprisoned in Russia,
on several occasions in this Forum. While we welcome the news
that he has been located following a prison transfer, he should
not be in prison at all. He is in prison for engaging in
legitimate criticism of the political situation: for speaking out
against the war in Ukraine and against Putin’s regime. We
reiterate our call for his immediate and unconditional release.
And, as we raised last week, we remain concerned at Russia’s
continued detention of our three OSCE colleagues of the Special
Monitoring Mission. The UK again calls for their immediate
release, along with all Ukrainians currently victims of arbitrary
detention.
The United Kingdom will stand with Ukraine today, tomorrow and
for as long as it takes. Thank you, Madam Chair."
