Ukraine

[…] UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric strongly condemned “the latest wave of attacks against critical infrastructure in various parts of the country, which reportedly resulted in injuries among the civilian population, … . He told reporters in New York on Friday that the UN was concerned about escalation and the threat it posed to civilians across the country, as the harsh winter weather approaches.

The United States on Thursday imposed sweeping new measures against Moscow over the war in Ukraine, targeting Russia's future energy capabilities, sanctions evasion and a suicide drone that has been a menace to Ukrainian troops and equipment, among others, in sanctions on hundreds of people and entities.

A new UN report has found continued evidence of war crimes and human rights violations committed by Russian authorities in Ukraine, including torture, rape and the deportation of children. 

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday said it was “deeply concerned” by Russia’s decision to issue arrest warrants against senior judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), following earlier warrants against its Prosecutor and Pre-trial Judges involved in examining potential war crimes in Ukraine. 

As NATO defence ministers meet in Brussels, Zelenskyy makes a surprise visit to ensure focus remains on Ukraine.

The US decision to step up military support for Israel after the surprise assault by Hamas will not harm Washington’s ability to keep arming Ukraine, its NATO envoy said on Tuesday.

NATO's most senior military official has warned that European ammunition stocks are running short as the West continues to send large amounts of military aid to Ukraine to fend off invading Russian forces. Admiral Rob Bauer, who chairs the NATO Military Committee, said Europe needed to ramp up production as the war enters its 20th month.

Civilians continue to pay a horrendous price in the war in Ukraine, with nearly 10,000 dead and tens of thousands injured since conflict began in February 2022, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in the country said in a report published on Wednesday. 

UN investigators probing violations in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion have warned that some rhetoric transmitted by Russian media could amount to incitement to genocide.

One of Ukraine's staunchest allies, Poland, has said it is no longer supplying weapons to its neighbour, as a diplomatic dispute over grain escalates. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Poland's focus was instead on defending itself with more modern weapons.