Statement by the Republic of Slovenia at the briefing on the maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine

Thank you Madam President.

I would like to thank Director Doughten for her briefing.

Madam President,

Anywhere we look, we see signs of the war intensifying. In the past year, the situation on the ground has been continuously worsening for the civilian population, with a significant increase in civilian casualties. The Human Rights Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (HRMMU) verified over 1400 deaths and injuries in September alone – the highest number in two years. Civilians in front-line and displaced communities already face dire living conditions, and with winter setting in, the situation is deteriorating by the day.

While the humanitarian needs of the civilian population are growing, humanitarian access is in peril as a result of increasing insecurity and attacks against humanitarian facilities. World Food Programme alone has reported losing access to 160 frontline communities.

In more than a thousand days of war, WHO has verified over 2100 attacks against health care facilities, a direct violation of IHL. And in 2024, casualties of health workers and patients from these attacks have nearly tripled compared to last year.

At the same time, Russia is continuing with its campaign of destruction of Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure. Since the last time we met on this topic in September, over 5000 air, missile and drone strikes were recorded across Ukraine. The figure has almost doubled in comparison to the same period of 2023.

Many of these attacks have been targeting energy infrastructure, decimating Ukraine’s power and heat generation capacity. Eight power plants and over 800 heat supply facilities – all gone. Now, Russia moved onto the power grid again. Late last month, nearly 200 missiles and drones were launched, leaving more than a million households without power. The situation farther deteriorated just a few days ago. As temperatures plunge below zero degrees centigrade across Ukraine, Russia launched one of its largest aerial attacks, with nearly 300 drones and missiles. Again directed against civilian energy infrastructure.

These hideous attacks are clearly not directed against legitimate military targets and are an evident violation of international humanitarian law.

Colleagues,

Grave violations of international humanitarian and human rights law must not go unpunished and the perpetrators must be brought to justice.

Madam President,

The attacks against the energy grid are raising severe concerns about the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities. Slovenia strongly condemns the attacks. A stable electricity grid is essential to ensure nuclear safety at Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants.

Colleagues,

A nuclear accident in the midst of war would be catastrophic for Ukraine, devastating for the wider region and would have global impacts. And this Council should make every effort to prevent it.

I thank you Madam President.

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