Tense moment as Russia's UN ambassador interrupted a minute of silence for victims of Ukraine war at Security Council

Isobel van Hagen
Updated ·2 min read
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  • Russia's ambassador to the UN broke a minute of silence honoring victims of the Ukraine war.

  • Nebenzya said the council should honor "all victims of what happened in Ukraine, starting in 2014."

  • This comes a day after the UN voted for Russia to withdraw its troops immediately from the country.

Russia's ambassador to the United Nations repeatedly tapped his microphone and interrupted a minute of silence for "victims of aggression" in the Ukraine war in a tense moment on Friday.

Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba addressed members of the UN Security Council in New York, asking them to stand and observe a minute of silence for those who had died on the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Video shows members standing in silence when Vasily Nebenzya requested to make a statement, and representatives sat down again to listen.

Nebenzya emphasized that the council should honor "all victims of what happened in Ukraine, starting in 2014."

"All of those who perished, all lives are priceless," he said.

At the end of his statement, Nebenzya stood again, and he appeared to gesture for others to do the same — but the other representatives awkwardly remained seated until Nebenzya was thanked for his statement.

The rest of the members eventually stood once again, and the minute resumed, showing that even a moment meant to honor the dead presented possibilities for conflict.

Nebenzya's mention of 2014 is likely referring to Russians who died during the country's invasion and illegal annexation of Crimea.

This comes a day after the UN General Assembly voted that Russia should withdraw its troops immediately from the country. 141 members voted in support, while seven voted against and 32 abstained, according to the Associated Press.

Kuleba said on Thursday the overwhelming majority of the country's voting in favor of the resolution shows the widespread international support of the country.

"This vote defies the argument that the global south does not stand on Ukraine's side. Many countries representing Latin America, Africa, Asia voted in favor," he said.

Read the original article on Business Insider