Ukraine's UN ambassador urges Security Council to strip Russia of permanent member status over attacks on Ukraine

Andrii Melnyk, Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has called on member states to find a political and legal mechanism to strip Russia of its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Source: Melnyk during an open UN Security Council debate, as reported by Ukrinform

Details: Melnyk said that among all wars and conflicts around the world, Russia's aggression against Ukraine stands out for the brutality and systematic nature of violence committed against civilians.

He stated that the first four months of 2026 had become the deadliest period for Ukrainian civilians since the beginning of the full-scale war.

He noted that Russia had repeatedly targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure throughout the winter in an attempt to force millions of civilians into submission through cold.

Melnyk also pointed to Russia's use of so-called double-tap strikes, in which a second attack follows shortly after the first in order to target medics and rescue workers responding to the hit.

He stressed that international legal obligations aimed at protecting civilians would lose their meaning if acts of aggression and war crimes continue to go unpunished.

Melnyk urged Security Council members and the wider UN community to acknowledge the reality of Russia's actions and seek a way to remove Moscow from its permanent seat on the Security Council.

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