UN rights council votes to hold debate on Ukraine

GENEVA - The UN Human Rights Council voted Monday to hold an urgent debate about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, further isolating Moscow which had resisted Kyiv's attempt to spotlight abuses committed in the war.

Russia's attack on Ukraine dominated the start of the UN body's main annual session in the Swiss city of Geneva, and countries rallied around Kyiv's demand to scrutinise Russia's actions.

Ukraine's ambassador in Geneva Yevheniia Filipenko warned that Russia's invasion "was an attack not only on Ukraine".

"It was an attack on every UN member state, on the United Nations and on the principles that this organisation was created to defend," she told the council.

Russia has become an international pariah since its invasion Thursday, and rejected the call for the debate and demanded the issue be put to a vote.

But 29 of the council's 47 members backed Kyiv's request, while only five voted no, including Russia and China. The remaining 13 countries abstained.

US ambassador Sheba Crocker hailed the result as proof that "Russia is totally isolated at the council".

- 'Tipping point' -

The debate on the conflict in Ukraine is to take place Thursday when the council will consider a draft resolution presented by Kyiv.

It calls for a high-level investigation into alleged violations committed in the conflict, dating back to 2014 when the Kremlin annexed Crimea and supported a separatist movement in Ukraine's east.

In her opening statement Monday, UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said "throughout history, there have been moments of profound gravity, that cut the course of events between a 'before' and a very different, more harmful, 'after'." "We are at such a tipping point," she warned.

Her office said more than 100 civilians, including seven children, have been killed in the five days since the invasion began, warning the true toll was likely higher.

The UN refugee agency said more than half a million people have already fled into neighbouring countries.

- Lavrov visit canceled -

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who had been scheduled to address the rights council Tuesday, was forced to cancel his trip.

Russia's mission in Geneva said Monday this was because of "an unprecedented ban on his flight in the airspace of a number of EU countries".

The EU banned all Russian carriers from its airspace over the weekend.

Switzerland also decided Monday to join the harsh sanctions and closed its airspace to Russian aircraft, although it made an exception for diplomatic flights.

Lavrov will likely still address the rights council Tuesday via video message, as will his US, British and European Union counterparts.

Ukraine's top diplomat is scheduled to do the same on Wednesday.

Ukraine's raging conflict is expected to deepen the increasing polarisation seen at the council in recent years.

The main actors in the conflict are currently members of the already polarised council, including Russia, Ukraine and the United States, which rejoined last month after having been withdrawn by former president Donald Trump in 2018.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will use his speech to the council Tuesday to "spell out clearly the threat posed by Russia", his spokesman Ned Price said.

Rights groups in Geneva have called on the UN General Assembly to suspend Russia's membership in the rights council over the invasion. - AFP