Mr Chair, Russia’s systematic targeting of critical infrastructure since ten October has damaged over 400 energy facilities. According to the World Health Organisation, this particular winter will be ‘life-threatening’ in order to millions of people in Ukraine. Winter can kill – plus temperatures are predicted to plummet as low as minus twenty ˚C in parts of Ukraine over the coming months. Mr Chair, since Oct, the UK and others have frequently come together to condemn Chief executive Putin’s attacks on Ukraine’s civilians and critical national infrastructure. Sadly, this week is no exclusion. And to Ukraine and the Ukrainian individuals – know that your friends remain with you on this difficult trip. We will not let you face this winter alone. Thank you, Mr Chair. And a warm thanks for visiting Foreign Minister Landsbergis to the Permanent Council. The UK will abide by your assessment. We agree with the need for the international neighborhood to step up support to Ukraine so that it can win this war. We agree with the need to hold the Russian authorities to account for flagrant breaches of international law. And agree on the need for the OSCE’s continued support to Ukraine and for this organisation in order to emerge stronger from this crisis. Mr Chair, we remain deeply humbled by the bravery and the resilience of the Ukrainian people. They are paying a monstrously higher price to defend the concepts of sovereignty and democracy. Principles that the OSCE started on. Principles which are right now being undermined by Russia’s unprovoked and illegal intrusion. The UK and the international community must not – and will not really – let Ukraine face this hardship alone. For this reason my Prime Minister plus Foreign Secretary have both visited Kyiv in current weeks to demonstrate the UK’s commitment to stand with Ukraine. The UK is providing additional air defence capabilities in order to Ukraine, to defend against Russia’s brutal missile attacks and are stepping up humanitarian assistance to ensure Ukrainians can make it through the difficult winter ahead. In addition , as of 5 December, The ussr has conducted 630 assaults on healthcare facilities within Ukraine. Its latest missile attacks on energy facilities are further degrading Ukraine’s health system and compounding the impact on the most vulnerable. Maternity wards need incubators. Blood banks need fridges. Intensive care beds require ventilators. They all require power. Mr Chair, Russia’s purpose is clear. It is trying to crack Ukrainian resolve through the brutal attacks on civilians, hospitals and energy infrastructure over the cold, hard winter months. It is trying to crush the particular Ukrainian people’s spirit. The ussr will fail. This Monday, as the temp in Kyiv dipped beneath freezing, Russia launched its latest round of missiles, targeting energy infrastructure plus hitting residential buildings. Based on President Zelenskyy, while Ukraine shot down ‘most associated with them’, the missiles which usually did land killed four people and caused power cuts across Ukraine. In Odesa, a missile strike cut power to pumping stations, leaving the entire city without having water. We heard reports of doctors having to perform emergency surgery with lights, barely meeting hygiene methods due to lack of water because of power outages. Sadly this is simply not new, but neither need to it be accepted since normal. Russia would like to push Ukraine back into the darkish ages. We need to make sure that Russia fails. As The ussr well knows – deliberately directing attacks at civilians and civilian objects is not just deeply inhumane, but also violates international humanitarian law. The ussr must observe its responsibilities under international humanitarian law and the UN Charter. If Russia is serious about the diplomatic end to its barbaric war, the path ahead is simple: Russia needs to instantly withdraw all of its forces illegally present in Ukraine and cease attacks against Ukraine, including critical national infrastructure and innocent civilians.
