OSCE Special Permanent Council No.1481 Vienna, 9 July 2024
1. Once again, we are compelled to convene here to address escalating appalling Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure. On 8th July, Russian missiles targeted Kyiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Sloviansk, and Kramatorsk, leaving a devastating trail of human suffering and destruction. In Kryvyi Rih alone, at least 10 people were killed and more than 40 others were injured.
2. The attack on Kyiv claimed the lives of at least 27 more people in various parts of the city and injured dozens. Notably, Ukraine's largest children's medical centre, Okhmatdyt Hospital, was hit, resulting in the deaths of at least two people, injuries to dozens of children, parents and medical staff, as well as significant damage. In another location of the city, debris from the Russian assault damaged a maternity hospital, killing at least seven more people. The images of blood-stained children and hospital staff following Russia’s attack on Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital serve as further evidence of the appalling human cost of Russia’s brutal war of aggression. Russia must immediately stop this devastation. Such actions show an utter contempt for international law and a complete disregard for human life. We deplore the fact that Russia remains insincere about peace and peace negotiations.
3. Over the weekend, a series of other deadly Russian attacks across Ukraine, added dozens of casualties to the mounting civilian death toll. On 5th July, Russian shelling killed at least 12 people and injured over 50 in several
settlements of Ukraine’s Donetsk region. The following day saw another wave of Russian attacks across Ukraine, which killed in total at least 8 people in the regions of Kherson, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv.
4. As the exact number of casualties from the latest Russian barrage remains unknown due to ongoing rescue operations, we mourn the tragic loss of life and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured. We stand in full solidarity with the Ukrainian people in their courageous self-defence against Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression.
5. As we have emphasised repeatedly, deliberately directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects constitutes a war crime and all those responsible must and will be held to account. The EU remains committed to ensuring that Russia and its leadership are held fully accountable for waging this war of aggression against Ukraine and for other most serious crimes under international law, as well as for the massive damage caused by Russia‘s war. To this end, we will continue to make full use of all relevant OSCE tools and mechanisms, and explore avenues with all relevant international organisations.
6. We reaffirm our steadfast support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. We will continue to provide political, financial, economic, humanitarian, legal, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes and as intensely as needed, also taking into account the critical importance of accelerated and intensified deliveries of military material based on Ukraine’s urgent needs.
7. We reiterate that the path to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace is for the aggressor, Russia, to immediately cease its ruthless attacks against the Ukrainian people, completely and unconditionally withdraw all its forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, and respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We urge all countries not to provide material or other support for Russia’s war of aggression, which is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and the OSCE’s core principles and commitments.
The Candidate Countries NORTH MACEDONIA*, MONTENEGRO*, ALBANIA*, UKRAINE, the REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA, BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA*, and GEORGIA, the EFTA countries ICELAND and LIECHTENSTEIN, members of the European Economic Area, as well as ANDORRA and MONACO align themselves with this statement.
* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.