UN rights body to hold emergency debate on Ukraine situation

The ongoing 49th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has decided to hold an emergency debate on the situation in Ukraine later this week.

The decision was made following a roll-call vote of 29 votes in favor, five against and 13 abstentions.

At the opening of the session, Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations (UN), said via video link that the escalation of "military operations" by Russia in Ukraine was leading to escalating human rights violations.

The Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine is continuing its work and UN humanitarian agencies will step up their operations in the country, said the UN chief.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet told the session that during the period from Thursday morning to Sunday night, her office had recorded 406 civilian casualties, namely 102 deaths and 304 injured.

The 49th session of the UNHRC, which kicked off on Monday, will last until April 1.