Events

UN Security Council convenes over drone attack on bus carrying Belarusian children

MINSK, 29 June (BelTA) – The UN Security Council has convened an emergency meeting following a drone attack on a Belarusian bus in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast, BelTA has learned.

The meeting was called at Belarus’ request. Although Belarus is not currently a member of the UN Security Council, its appeal was supported by the Russian Federation, a permanent member of the council.

Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations noted that the Security Council had met for the seventh time in six weeks to discuss the war in Ukraine and its impact on international peace and security.

“The frequency of these meetings reflects the dangerous escalation of this war and the heightened risk of further deterioration, with regional and global implications,” Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee said. “The protection of civilians must be ensured. We strongly condemn all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur. Such attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law and must cease immediately.”

Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations Anna Evstigneeva said that behind the general statements of international officials lay political timidity and an unwillingness to acknowledge crimes allegedly committed by the Ukrainian side, even when children were among the victims.

“Any baseless accusations against our country are immediately echoed by the UN Secretariat without the necessary verification. We call on the Secretary-General, the Secretariat and relevant UN bodies to unequivocally condemn these bloody crimes,” the Russian diplomat said.

According to Anna Evstigneeva, the incident did not involve a strike on military targets that inadvertently harmed civilians but rather the deliberate actions of a drone operator who could clearly identify the nature of the target. “This is an act of terrorism against civilians,” she stated.

The Chinese delegation expressed condolences to Belarus over the tragedy and said it condemned all attacks on civilians. The Chinese representative noted that both Russia and Ukraine had suffered heavy civilian casualties, which remained a matter of serious concern.

“Most importantly, the conflict is increasingly spilling over into civilian areas, and innocent people are paying the price. If the conflict continues indefinitely, it will only bring more suffering and destruction, and more innocent people will endure tragedy. The situation will become even more unpredictable,” the Chinese representative said.

The People’s Republic of China called on the parties to exercise restraint, comply with international law, refrain from attacking civilian infrastructure and bring the conflict to an end as soon as possible. China also expressed its readiness to work actively with all parties to advance the peace process.

Several European countries, including France, expressed skepticism about the information surrounding the incident. Denmark’s representative said it was impossible to verify the allegations made against Ukraine and noted that they contradicted information provided by the Ukrainian side.

“Given these discrepancies, Denmark calls for an independent investigation to establish the facts,” the Danish diplomat said.

Greece also supported the idea of an independent investigation into the attack on the passenger bus. It called for UN personnel to be given the necessary access to conduct the investigation and report their findings to the international community.

The United States representative called on the parties to de escalate the conflict and immediately cease fire. “Diplomacy is the only realistic path forward to a lasting peace,” the American diplomat said briefly.

In general, the meeting participants stressed that any attacks on civilian infrastructure and civilians during hostilities are unacceptable. However, some countries chose not to mention the attack on the Belarusian bus in Bryansk Oblast in this context, while others, on the contrary, stated that the incident was a particular cause for concern.