Mr. President,
It is over four years since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, nearly 1500 days of death, destruction and despair.
And today, far from abating, the violence is worse than ever.
Since February 2022, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has verified that 15,364 civilians, including 775 children, have been killed in Ukraine.
Another 42,144 civilians, including 2,588 children, have been injured. The actual number of casualties is likely significantly higher.
In February of this year alone, at least 188 civilians were killed and 757 injured – a 45 per cent increase compared to same period last year.
Attacks have continued this month.
On 7 March, a strike on a residential building in Kharkiv reportedly killed at least 10 civilians, including children. Some residents are still missing.
An attack in Kyiv region on 13-14 March reportedly killed six people and injured several others.
Six people were killed and 27 injured in Russian attacks on Donetsk, Kharkiv and Kherson oblasts on 20 March.
A house in the city of Zaporizhzhia was destroyed in a Russian strike on 21 March. A couple was killed, and their two children injured.
Reports also indicate an increase in strikes targeting railroads and other transport infrastructure in Ukraine.
In the Mykolaiv and Odesa regions, five people were reportedly injured in two attacks on railway infrastructure on 4 March. And in Sumy, drones reportedly hit passenger trains on 8 and 14 March.
Mr. President,
Over the winter, damage to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure brought the country’s energy grid to the brink of total collapse.
According to Ukrainian authorities, 60 per cent of gas production capacity has been destroyed, and all the country’s power stations damaged, leading to persistent disruptions in electricity, heating and water across the country.
Energy, industrial and port infrastructure facilities have been damaged in Odesa. In the latest such attack, on 19 March, four people were reportedly injured when drones hit apartment buildings.
Repairs to the energy sector, where possible at all, will take time and require concerted international support.
The Russian Federation has also reported attacks impacting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Over the weekend of 14 to 16 March, local authorities in the Russian Federation reported the largest Ukrainian drone attack targeting Moscow to date.
At least 250 drones were reportedly shot down near the Russian capital. No civilian casualties have been reported.
In Russian regions bordering Ukraine – Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk, as well as the southern Krasnodar region – local officials have reported civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure from alleged strikes.
The United Nations cannot verify these reports due to lack of access and limited public information.
International humanitarian law clearly prohibits attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. All such attacks, wherever they occur, must cease.
Mr. President,
Military activity near Ukraine’s nuclear sites, including the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), continues, with potentially devastating consequences.
Following repeated disruptions caused by military activity, successful repairs on the plant’s power supplies were carried out on 5 March, under the fifth local ceasefire negotiated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
We commend the crucial work of IAEA to help ensure the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear sites.
Mr. President,
As the conflict drags on, we commend the countries that are still hosting millions of Ukrainian refugees for their continuing support.
There are still over 6.7 million refugees from Ukraine globally. Over 3.7 million people are displaced inside Ukraine.
We welcome the extension of protection measures by the European Union until March 2027, recognizing that conditions are not yet conducive to large-scale returns.
Long-term international support is also needed for Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction.
Total war damage has reached an estimated $195 billion US dollars. Ukraine would require $588 billion over the next decade for recovery and reconstruction.
Similarly, substantial assistance will be needed to rid Ukraine of mines and unexploded ordnance.
The scale of mine contamination in the country is one of the largest globally.
At the end of 2025, approximately 132,076 square kilometers of land remain potentially contaminated by explosive hazards, despite progress in clearance.
The reconstruction and rehabilitation of Ukraine should also be accompanied by accentuality for the atrocities perpetrated during the war.
The findings of the Independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, presented on 12 March, are deeply concerning.
The Commission concluded that and I quote,“Russian authorities have committed the crimes against humanity of deportation and forcible transfer, as well as of enforced disappearance, both targeting children.”
All deported children must be returned home without delay. Their rights and identity must be fully protected.
We continue to support efforts to facilitate the return of Ukrainian children and commend the countries and organizations working toward this end.
We note the recent exchanges of prisoners of war, which saw 657 Ukrainian and 657 Russian prisoners of war return to their families in February and March.
Such steps are important and should be expanded.
As we reiterate our call on the Russian Federation to facilitate access to, and ensure the release of, all Ukrainian civilian detainees.
Mr. President,
Recent developments also underscore the serious regional impact of the war.
Damage to the Novodnistrovsk hydroelectric plant in the south of Ukraine on 7 March led to an oil spill and widespread water pollution of the Nistru River in neighbouring Moldova.
It prompted a 15-day environmental alert and disruption to water services in the country’s third largest city and other localities.
Moldovan officials have also reported repeated violations of their airspace by drones.
Mr. President,
The suffering and destruction caused by the war in Ukraine can never be justified.
The longer the war exists, the deadlier it becomes, with growing risks to regional and international security.
A full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire is imperative.
We welcome the diplomatic efforts led by the United States over the past year to advance peace in Ukraine.
As the most significant initiative to date to help restore momentum towards a peaceful resolution, these efforts require sustained commitment and support.
The aim must be a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions.
It must uphold the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders.
We remain ready to support all efforts to this end.
Thank you, Mr. President.
