UN General Assembly calls for Russia to pay Ukraine for war damages
- A resolution laying the groundwork for possible reparations was passed by 94 countries, with 14 voting against, including Russia, China and Iran
- The text calls for an ‘international register’ to document damage caused by a campaign that has devastated whole cities, including hospitals and schools
The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution that lays the groundwork for the possibility of reparations payments by Russia to war-ravaged Ukraine.
The resolution – passed by 94 countries nearly nine months after Moscow launched its invasion of its neighbour – says Russia “must be held to account for any violations of international law in or against Ukraine”.
Russia “must bear the legal consequences of all of its internationally wrongful acts, including making reparation for the injury, including any damage, caused by such acts”.
Seventy-three countries abstained on Monday and 14 voted against – including China, Iran, Cuba and Russia.
The text calls for the creation of “an international register” that would document damage caused by Russia during its military campaign that has devastated whole cities, along with energy infrastructure, hospitals, schools, shops and factories.
A United Nations commission of inquiry said in late September they had found an array of Russian war crimes in Ukraine, including sexual and gender-related acts of violence by some Russian soldiers.