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Latest post: Fri 17 Apr 2026

Insights on the work of the UN Security Council

Ukraine: Briefing

On Monday afternoon (20 April), the Security Council will hold an open briefing on Ukraine. The meeting was requested by Ukraine in a 14 April letter following large-scale Russian aerial attacks on the city of Dnipro and other cities across Ukraine on that day. Council members Denmark, France, Greece, Latvia, Liberia, and the UK supported the meeting request. The anticipated briefers are Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO) Mohamed Khaled Khiari and Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya. Ukraine and several countries from the region are expected to participate in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.

In its letter, Ukraine argues that Russia has intensified its campaign of aerial attacks against civilians and critical infrastructure, stating that, between 30 March and 13 April, Moscow launched more than 3,600 Uncrewed Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs), nearly 1,350 guided aerial bombs, and over 40 missiles across Ukraine. The letter says that these attacks killed at least 70 civilians and injured more than 400 people, adding that a 14 April strike on the city of Dnipro killed five civilians and severely injured 27 others. Ukraine claims in the letter that these attacks amount to grave breaches of international humanitarian law and the UN Charter.

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