U.N. takes up resolution on Russia's annexation attempt of Ukraine

Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Member states of the United Nations General Assembly congregated Monday for a special session to debate whether to condemn Russia over its illegal attempt to annex four regions of southern and eastern Ukraine.

Though requested by Albania and Ukraine earlier this month in response to the Kremlin's attempts to claim Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, the session coincided with a Kremlin attack across Ukraine that resulted in the deaths of at least 14 people.

Russia hit 11 targets in eight regions, including civilian occupied cities, such as its capital, Kyiv, earlier Monday, attracting the condemnation of democratic countries and their representatives present at the 11th special session held in New York.

Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine's permanent representative to the United Nations, labeled Russia a "terrorist state" during a scathing speech before the 193 U.N. member states.

The ambassador compared Russia to Nazi Germany while warning the United Nations that it was at "a tipping point" to prove its credibility and uphold its principles enshrined in the U.N. Charter.

"A trail of blood is left behind the Russian delegation when it enters the General Assembly, and the hall is filled up with the smell of smoldering human flesh," he said. "Ukrainians can tell you what our world will look like if this erosion of the U.N.'s credibility is not stopped."

The session was held after Russian President Vladimir Putin officially approved the annexation of an additional four regions of Ukraine following a referendum held in September. While the Kremlin has said the votes reflect the will of the people to join its federation, democratic nations have rejected them as a sham.

Kyslytsya on Monday said the referendum cannot be reconciled with international legal standards and that it goes against what the international community claims to stand for.

"Ukraine is the immediate target of the Russian attacks on the ground but it's not Ukraine that Russia ultimately aims at," he said. "Let me reiterate it again: It is our future that is now at stake."

He added that the only thing Russia is afraid of is the unity of the United Nations based on its charter.

"We have to save the United Nations," he said.

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations, lambasted the holding of the special session as politicized while condemning the resolution at debate, asking how will it maintain peace and security and find a resolution to the conflict.

He said Russia was also being attacked for "protecting the rights and freedoms of our brothers and sisters in the south and east of Ukraine," reiterating the claim that the referendum shows "the overwhelming majority of voters supported accession to Russia."

The ambassador also said that the only way to protect the citizens of these four regions from Kyiv was to permit their annexation.

He also accused so-called Western nations of attempting to coerce others against expressing support for Russia's claims.

"This special session demonstrated that our Western opponents fear that the number of such states will grow, and so they are ready to take any steps to preclude this from happening," he said.

The General Assembly is expected to vote on the draft resolution later this week and follows the U.N. Security Council's failed attempt to adopt a similar resolution on Sept. 30 due to Russia utilizing its veto power.

At the start of Monday's session, Albania tabled a resolution for the vote to be recorded to thwart Russia's attempt to have it be conducted by secret ballot.

Albania's motion was approved 107 in favor to 13 against with another 39 members abstaining.

Albana Dautllari, Albania's permanent representative to the United Nations, disregarded Russia's attempts to hold a vote by second ballot as an attack against transparency.

"Wouldn't we all want transparency from the international community if a neighboring country invaded and attempted to annex a portion of our territory? Would any member of the GA support a secret ballot if it was their own territory that someone was trying to annex?" she asked.

Russia attempted to appeal the decision, but was rejected.

During his opening speech, U.N. General Assembly President Csaba Korosi told the assembled members that they must find a political solution to the conflict based on the U.N. Charter.

"We need to keep the door open for diplomacy," he said. "The fighting between Russian and Ukraine must stop."