UN Security Council congregates over Russia’s intense airstrikes on Ukraine

Several ambassadors to the United Nations have condemned Russia for its latest massive aerial attacks on Ukraine that led to a high number of casualties.

An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday was held at the request of Ukraine and the United States among other countries.

Several countries accused Russia of using missiles and drones to target civilian facilities, including residential buildings, hospitals and schools.

Britain’s Ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward said the missiles were aimed at population centers across Ukraine.

Albania’s Ambassador to the UN Ferit Hoxha said Russia aims to destroy Ukraine, terrorize the people, and bring the entire nation to its knees.

Japan’s Ambassador Yamazaki Kazuyuki said Russia must be held accountable for its atrocities. He urged Moscow to end its invasion immediately, and completely and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Russian missiles and drones hit military infrastructure targets in Ukraine, and Ukrainian anti-air missiles going off course hit civilian objects. He said, “It is entirely clear that betting on a solution to the Ukrainian crisis on the battlefield was a mistaken decision.”

Russia on Friday carried out a massive offensive across Ukraine using missiles and drones. Kyiv says it was the largest-scale air attack of the conflict and killed dozens of people.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a social media post on Friday that “Russia used nearly every type of weapon in its arsenal.”

The president said the targets hit included the capital Kyiv, the eastern cities of Dnipro and Kharkiv, the western city of Lviv, and Odesa in the south.

Moscow said the operation caused damage to all of its targets. Putin said that a maternity ward, educational facilities, a shopping mall and other sites were struck.

Ukraine’s air force says at least 120 missiles were fired and 36 drones were used in the attack.

Zelenskyy stressed, “We will surely respond to terrorist strikes.”

Air force officials say the assault was the “most-massive attack from the air” by Russia. Ukraine says 30 people were killed and more than 160 others injured.

Observers say the strikes may have been in retaliation for a Ukrainian missile attack against a port in Crimea on Tuesday that destroyed the Russian landing ship Novocherkassk.