Diplomatic pressure on Russia continues to rise, according to ITV News correspondent Emma Murphy Russia has been excluded from the top UN human rights body. The main vote took place on Thursday, following growing allegations that Russian troops had killed Ukrainian civilians as they withdrew from the Kiev region. A total of 93 UN member states voted in favor of expelling Russia from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), while 24 voted against the move and 58 abstained. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said he was “grateful” for the deportation. He wrote on Twitter: “War criminals have no place in UN bodies aimed at protecting human rights. I thank all the Member States for their support [United Nations General Assembly] resolution and chose the right side of the story “. Russia is the second UNHRC member to be stripped of its membership rights, which was founded in 2006. In 2011, the assembly suspended Libya when unrest in the North African country toppled longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi. Russia is in the second year of its three-year term on the 47-member council, which cannot make legally binding decisions, but its resolutions send important political messages and can authorize inquiries. Last month, the council launched an investigation into allegations of human rights abuses, including possible war crimes, in Ukraine following the Russian invasion. For expert analysis of the biggest news, listen to the podcast What you need to know Ahead of the UN vote, foreign ministers from some of the world’s largest economies condemned the Russian “massacres” in Bukha. In a joint statement, G7 (Group of Seven) ministers spoke of “basic” photographs of mutilated bodies, alleged executions and reports of sexual assaults at the hands of Russian troops. The deaths have sparked global outrage and calls for tougher sanctions on Russia, which has vehemently denied that its troops are responsible. Several apartment buildings were destroyed by Russian bombing in Borodyanka, on the outskirts of Kiev Credit: AP And, in an appeal to some member states before the UNHRC vote, Russia said its deportation effort was political and supported by countries seeking to maintain their dominance in the world. Late Thursday, European Union countries approved new sanctions against Russia, including an EU embargo on coal imports. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom and other NATO allies agreed on Thursday to supply “new and heavier” weapons to Ukraine. Kyiv had earlier warned the world that immediate assistance was needed or it would be “too late”. Ukraine is trying to strengthen its defenses in the east, where forces are preparing for a new Russian attack. President Putin’s troops, along with mercenaries, are reportedly on the move in Donbass, where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces for eight years and controlling two areas. Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk said that Ukrainian and Russian officials agreed on Thursday to create evacuation routes for citizens from various areas in Donbas. But later, the head of Ukraine’s national railway system said that the Russian bombing prevented the evacuation of residents from some eastern areas. Oleksandr Kamyshin told the Telegram that the bombing had blocked the only Ukrainian-controlled railway line leading from two cities in the Donetsk region of Donbas. “The situation in Donbas is heating up and we understand that April will be quite warm, so those who have the opportunity to leave – women, children, the elderly – must stay in a safe place,” said Borys Filatov, mayor of Dnipro. , a city located just west of Donbass, he said in a statement.
