As it happened

The West criticises Russia at U.N. over missile attacks on Ukraine

Issued on: 16/11/2022 – 03:55Modified: 17/11/2022 – 00:34

UN Security Council members vote on September 30, 2022, on a resolution condemning Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions. © Andrew Kelly, Reuters

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The United States and its allies on Wednesday criticised Russia in the United Nations Security Council over missile attacks on Ukraine in a meeting a day after a missile that NATO said was a stray fired by Ukraine’s air defenses crashed inside Poland. Follow our live blog for all the latest developments. All times are Paris time (GMT+1). 

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12:19am: The West criticises Russia at U.N. over missile attacks on Ukraine

“This tragedy would never have happened but for Russia’s needless invasion of Ukraine and its recent missile assaults against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure,” Washington’s ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told the Security Council.

“Ukraine has every right to defend itself against this barrage,” Thomas-Greenfield said.

The British and Polish ambassadors to the U.N. echoed the statement that Russia’s invasion was ultimately to blame for the explosion in Poland.

Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the meeting: “We have long ago stopped being surprised by your attempts in any circumstances, in spite of facts or common sense, to blame Russia for everything.”

Military alliance NATO and member Poland said the missile was probably a stray fired by Ukraine’s air defenses and not a Russian strike, easing international fears that the war could widen. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy demurred, saying there was no doubt the missile was not Ukrainian.

(AP, AFP, REUTERS)

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