Resolution At The UN General Assembly Calling For Russia To Be Held Accountable

India abstained on a draft resolution at the UN General Assembly  calling for Russia to be held accountable for violations of international law by its invasion of Ukraine and for Moscow to pay reparations to Kyiv for damages to pay for losses and injuries resulting from the war. 

The draft resolution "Promoting Remedy and Reparation for Aggression Against Ukraine" tabled by Ukraine was approved by the 193-member UN General Assembly on Monday by a  vote of 94 in favour, 14 against and 73,abstentions, including India. Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Israel, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka. 

Belarus, China, Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Russia and Syria voted against the resolution. India, in its explanation of vote following the adoption of the draft, questioned whether a redress mechanism would contribute to efforts to resolve the conflict and warned against creating precedents  through such resolutions. "We must objectively consider whether  a  process of redress through a vote in  General Assembly would contribute to efforts to resolve the conflict."

Furthermore, the legal validity of such a process by a General Assembly resolution remains unclear," said India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj Avoiding steps that impede or jeopardize the possibility of dialogue and negotiation, and put an end to this protracted conflict since. 

By repeating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion to Russian President Vladimir Putin: “This is not an era of war” , said Kamboj "With this strong determination to fight for a peaceful solution through dialogue and diplomacy, India has decided to abstain on the resolution. 

India has voted on resolutions related to the  war between Russia and Ukraine at the United Nations, including in security Council, the  General Assembly and the Human Rights Council largely abstained.

Kamboj stressed that India's approach to the Ukraine conflict will remain citizen-centric. India is providing  humanitarian aid to Ukraine and economic support to some of its economically troubled neighbors in the Global South, even as they stare at Ukraine. rising food,  fuel and fertilizer costs as a result of the ongoing conflict. 

The resolution, co-sponsored by nearly 50 nations, recognized that Russia "shall be held accountable for  any violation of international law in or against Ukraine, including its aggression in violation of the  United Nations Charter, as well as for any violation of international humanitarian law." and international human rights law, and that it must bear the legal consequences of all  its internationally wrongful acts, including redress for harm caused by such acts, including all damages, recognized the need to establish an International Framework 

 in cooperation with Ukraine Mechanism for redress for damage, loss or injury resulting from  "internationally unlawful acts of the Russian Federation in or against Ukraine".

Recommended that the UN member states, in cooperation with Ukraine, establish an international register of damage to record in documentary form evidence and  information on claims related to damage, loss or injury to all natural and legal persons involved, as well as the State of Ukraine , caused by illegal acts by the Russian Federation in or against Ukraine. Kamboj said India remains concerned about the situation in Ukraine. 

The conflict has resulted in the loss of lives and the misery of the population. , particularly for  women, children and the elderly, leaving millions  homeless and forced to seek refuge in neighboring countries, it said, calling reports of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure  "deeply concerning". to ensure that civilians and civilian infrastructure are not targeted in situations of armed conflict,” he said. Kamboj reiterated that in  India had always argued that a solution could never be reached at the cost of human life.

"The escalation of hostilities and violence is in nobody's interest. We have urged that every effort be made for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an urgent return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy," he said. 

Kamboj emphasized that dialogue is the only answer to settling disagreements and disputes, scary as it may seem at the moment. "The road to peace requires that we keep all channels of diplomacy open," he said. He noted that it was unfortunate that  the course of the Ukraine conflict had caused significant collateral damage to the entire Global South.

"It is therefore vital that the voice of the Global South is heard and that its legitimate concerns are given due consideration. The resolution expresses deep concern at the loss of life, displacement of civilians, destruction of infrastructure and natural resources, loss of  private property and economic calamity caused by Russia's aggression against Ukraine are paying the price of its own war and occupation and trying to shirk responsibility for the crimes it is committing will fail, just as it fails on the battlefield. In fact, we've seen it all before."

There is nothing new under the sun," he said. The Ukrainian ambassador said Russia destroyed almost half of Ukraine's electricity grid and utilities in the last month alone, leaving millions of Ukrainians without power, water, power on winter evening and heating were left behind "Millions of Ukrainians have been forced to leave their homes and seek refuge elsewhere. 

Ukraine will have an enormous task to rebuild the country and recover from this war. But that recovery will never be complete without a  sense of justice for the victims of the Russian war.

It's time to hold Russia accountable. The Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations, Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia, said that the adoption of the resolution "will have systemic consequences for the activities of the United Nations".

It is obvious that the initiative is flawed. From a legal point of view, the provisions of the project do not stand up to criticism. They are legally void, they are nothing more than an attempt to legalize what cannot be legalized under current international law.

The co-sponsors must be aware that the adoption of such a resolution would trigger consequences that could turn against themselves," said the Russian envoy.