Thank you, Mr Chair. Since we met in this forum last week Russia has continued to press across the front line. However, it does so reaping little strategic gain and at significant cost.
Where Russia has attempted to attack military targets, the results have been notably modest. The Ukrainian Armed Forces have repelled Russia’s attacks on the village of Starytsia, close to Vovchansk, inflicting significant losses on Russia’s forces. Only three weeks’ ago, I mentioned that Russia was on track to sustain half a million casualties by 2025. Throughout May, however, Russia’s casualties have averaged over 1,200 per day – the highest reported since the start of the war – and that figure of 500,000 has now already likely been reached.
However, Russia’s offensive in Kharkiv has also had a devastating impact on the local civilian population as they have resorted to pulverising residential areas and striking non-military targets. In the last two weeks, Russia has struck a Ukrainian home improvement store, hit a residential apartment block, and turned a Ukrainian printing house to rubble, instantly killing dozens of civilians in the process. These attacks show not only a wilful disregard for civilian lives but the real intention behind Russia’s war – to terrorise the innocent and attack Ukrainian culture and identity in all its forms.
Mr Chair, this senseless and illegal invasion could end tomorrow if Russia chose to withdraw its forces from Ukraine’s territory. Unfortunately, we have seen no will from Russia to do so. Rather, it is attempting to double down, regardless of the misery it inflicts on the Ukrainian population and its own people.
Russia has chosen to construct a false narrative of victimhood as it attacks its smaller neighbour. It has chosen to weaponise this Forum, to stifle discussion and debate because the facts around its illegal invasion are unpalatable and laid bare for all the delegates here to see.
The United Kingdom will maintain its support for Ukraine in the face of this aggression, along with all of those who believe in international law and the principles upon which this organisation was founded. Thank you.
