The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations in charge of Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jentsa emphasized during a meeting of the Security Council on the situation in Ukraine the tragic consequences of the war, which has been going on for two and a half years, he reaffirmed the support of the UN to Ukraine’s national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, while calling for maximum restraint to avoid a “catastrophic nuclear event”.

Concern about nuclear safety

According to the Deputy Secretary General, concern is intensifying about the safety of nuclear facilities, both in Ukraine and in Russia, especially the plants in Zaporizhia and Kursk.

The UN is urging the warring parties to exercise maximum restraint in order to avoid a nuclear catastrophe, he insisted.

“We commend the efforts of the International Atomic Energy Agency, under the leadership of Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, to ensure nuclear safety (…) both in Russia and Ukraine. We call for maximum restraint and vigilance to avoid a catastrophic nuclear event,” he said.

Consequences for the civilian population

As Mr. Jentsa emphasized in briefing the Security Council, the conflict has caused heavy casualties among the civilian ranks: he spoke of over 11,600 civilian deaths and 24,200 wounded since February 2022.

The situation continues to deteriorate, with continued missile and drone attacks causing more deaths and damage to critical civilian infrastructure, particularly energy facilities.

Humanitarian crisis

Mr. Jentsa referred to the humanitarian crisis that the war has caused, with millions of forcibly displaced and refugees in need of humanitarian assistance.

The UN and its partners plan to support 8.5 million people as the situation is expected to worsen, especially as winter approaches.

The conflict has forced millions of people from their homes, with “nearly 3.7 million internally displaced within Ukraine and 6.6 million Ukrainian refugees worldwide.” The United Nations, together with its partners, aims “to assist 8.5 million people this year, but the worsening humanitarian situation requires increased support from the international community,” it said.

The United Nations has expressed concern over the treatment of prisoners of war, particularly those held by Russia, with Mr Gencha referring to reports of torture and inhumane detention.

In his speech, the Deputy Secretary-General also emphasized the need to continue efforts to restore peace in Ukraine, urging the international community to speak with one voice regarding the protection of civilians and for a just and lasting resolution to the conflict.

“We welcome the recent exchanges of prisoners of war facilitated by the United Arab Emirates and others and encourage further efforts to ensure the humane treatment of all prisoners of war, in accordance with international humanitarian law,” Mr Jentsa stressed.