Melnyk at UNSC responds to another falsehood from Russia’s Nebenzya
Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Andrii Melnyk responded to what he described as “flows of distorted narratives” from the Russian delegation at the United Nations Security Council regarding the situation both in Ukraine and within Russia itself.
According to an Ukrinform correspondent in New York, the envoy made the remarks during a Security Council meeting on Monday.
In particular, Melnyk commented on statements by Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, who claimed that Ukraine is concerned about global attention shifting from Russia’s war in Ukraine’s to the Middle East. According to the Ukrainian diplomat, such assertions demonstrate “Russia’s complete loss of credibility and growing irrelevance in this region.”
“The truth is that it is Ukraine that is extending a hand of practical assistance to its partners in the Gulf region, helping them to protect energy infrastructure from criminal strikes by Iranian drones and missiles supported by Russia,” he said.
Melnyk added that Russia itself is the main accomplice of the Tehran regime, “which has betrayed the Gulf countries, delivered them a knife in the back, and abused its veto right to block a crucial draft resolution on freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”
He also spoke about mobilization problems in Russia and the losses suffered by its army.
“Instead of spreading disinformation about the Ukrainian army aimed at driving a wedge and sowing a division in our society, perhaps Mr. Nebenzya should reflect on the alarming reality inside Russia’s armed forces,” the envoy said.
According to Melnyk, since the beginning of the year Russia has been losing “no fewer than 30,000-35,000 soldiers every single month,” with battlefield losses exceeding its contract recruitment targets.
He added that the Kremlin is facing difficulties recruiting volunteers despite significant financial incentives, while regional authorities are forced to compete with one another by offering increasingly large signing bonuses.
Melnyk also stated that recruitment into the Russian army largely relies on coercion and pressure on vulnerable groups – prisoners, migrants, recently naturalized citizens, and mercenaries.
“Newly recruited personnel are sent directly into high attrition assaults without adequate training,” he said. “Recruits whom Mr. Putin is sending into this meat grinder on Ukrainian soil face an extremely short life expectancy, measured in weeks or even in days.”
As previously reported, the United Nations Security Council convened on Monday to discuss the latest Russian shelling of Ukrainian cities.
Photo provided by Andrii Melnyk