By J Nastranis
UN’s top disarmament and legal officials have warned of continued prohibited weapons transfers to Ukraine and Russia. Parties to the conflict war should abide by international law and protect civilians.
Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs at the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), told the Security Council that since the last briefing on weapons transfers two weeks earlier, the provision of military assistance and transfer of arms and ammunition to the Ukrainian armed forces have continued in the context of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in violation of the UN Charter and of international law.
“Any transfer of weapons and ammunition must be compliant with the applicable international legal framework, including of course, relevant Security Council resolutions, which in certain instances impose sanctions and restrictive measures on such transfers,” she said.
Shipments reportedly included such heavy conventional weapons as tanks, armoured combat vehicles and aircraft, helicopters, large-calibre artillery and missile systems and uncrewed combat aerial vehicles alongside remotely operated munitions, small arms and light weapons and their ammunition.
She also referred to reports of States transferring, or planning to transfer, weapons such as uncrewed aerial vehicles, ballistic missiles and ammunition to the Russian armed forces and that these weapons have been used and are likely to be used in Ukraine.
The High Representative raised deep concerns about reports related to the use and transfer of cluster munitions since the beginning of the conflict and the widespread contamination with mines and explosive remnants of war in Ukraine.
Reminding the 15-member Council of the importance and value of international law in today’s challenging security context, she called on Member States to comply with obligations to various disarmament treaties, particularly conventions on cluster munitions, anti-personnel mines and what is referred to as “certain conventional weapons” deemed to be indiscriminate or excessively injurious, such as........