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MADRID 19 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The UN Undersecretary General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, denounced this Monday before the United Nations Security Council that Ukraine has become one of the most mined places in the world, with almost a quarter part of its territory contaminated with mines, after a thousand days of war, since February 24, 2024.
DiCarlo, who read in New York a letter from the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, given his impossibility to participate in the meeting because he is at the G20 summit being held in Rio de Janeiro, has specified that the Ukraine affected by mines is an area four times larger than the territory occupied by Switzerland.
“1,000 days of widespread destruction have passed since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter and International Law. 1,000 days of widespread death, destruction and despair that continue unabated For millions of Ukrainians, 1,000 days later, this war continues unabated,” he said.
In this sense, he denounced that “deadly battles are spreading more and more” in the east and south of Ukraine, while “entire cities, towns and villages have been reduced to rubble” with towns like Bakhmut that have “been practically erased.” Since February 2022, more than 12,100 civilians have been killed, including 600 children, while 26,800 have been injured. “The real death toll is likely to be much higher,” he warned.
Likewise, he pointed out that in recent months “there has been a significant increase in civilian casualties”, since in October and November there have been “some of the most intense and large-scale missile and drone attacks of the war.” In fact, over the weekend Moscow launched “one of its largest combined attacks”, launching 120 missiles and 90 drones against Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
This escalation comes at a time when the United States has authorized Ukraine to use American long-range weapons for attacks inside Russia. “All parties must ensure the safety and protection of civilians, regardless of their location,” he concluded.
However, he referred to Russian attacks against civilian ships and port infrastructure, particularly in the coastal city of Odessa, which “are once again aggravating global food insecurity”, and stressed that “the selective devastation of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure may make next winter the harshest since the start of the war.”
In this context, he warned that the risk of a nuclear accident “remains very real, since reports continue to be received about military activities near the largest nuclear plant in Europe, Zaporizhzhia, as well as in other sensitive places in the region. conflict zone”. “If such an event were to occur, it would be catastrophic and would shake us all. It is imperative that all parties act responsibly to ensure nuclear safety,” he said.
Finally, he referred to the recent deployment of thousands of North Korean troops to the conflict zone and considered that “their participation in the fighting is alarming”, because “this would add fuel to the fire, further intensifying and internationalizing this conflict.” explosive”.
“There is no doubt that this war in the heart of Europe is a conflict with global implications. It undermines regional stability and deepens geopolitical divisions. It must end. Reversing the current dangerous course will require concerted diplomatic efforts and political will. It is now time to achieve a just peace,” he concluded.