UN officials on Tuesday decried growing risks of dangerous breaches following Russia’s decision to recognise the independence of some regions of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michele Bachelet added her voice to the UN’s growing chorus of alarm.

“I am deeply concerned that any significant escalation in military action creates a heightened risk of serious human rights violations as well as violations of international humanitarian law,” Ms Bachelet said.

She underscored that at this critical juncture, “the priority, above all,” must be to prevent a further escalation and to avert civilian casualties, displacement and destruction of civilian infrastructure.

The UN commissioner added, “I call on all sides to cease hostilities and to pave the way for dialogue instead of setting the stage for further violence.” 

Ms Bachelet assured that her office would continue to monitor the situation closely “from our offices on both sides of the contact line in the east of the country.”

Russia’s recognition violates the Minsk Agreements – the fragile peace process regulating the conflict in eastern Ukraine – and increases fears that Russia is ready for a full-scale invasion.

Before the General Assembly meets on Ukraine Wednesday, the body’s president, Abdulla Shahid, issued a statement calling on the parties to “intensify negotiations and deescalate the current trajectory through dialogue.”

He reminded that a full commitment to the UN Charter, its purposes and its principles is “the only path to ensure lasting peace.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) joined others in expressing its deepest concern over the escalating crisis in eastern Ukraine.

Noting that the right to health is “at the centre of humanitarian response,” it said the WHO office in Ukraine, together with the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ukraine and “in coordination with WHO/Europe,” continues to work closely with the country’s health ministry in providing health support to meet the needs of populations in affected areas.”

The UN humanitarian coordination body, OCHA, told journalists in Geneva that there had been reported increases in hostilities in areas controlled by the de facto authorities in recent days.

OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke called it “a stark reminder” of the reality that children, women and men of Eastern Ukraine have faced for the past eight years.

“We call on everybody and all parties to protect civilians and protect civilian infrastructure in this very volatile situation,” stated OCHA.

Responding to journalists, he said the UN office has had a humanitarian response plan predating recent events, which focuses on pre-existing humanitarian needs, including a convoy that had delivered humanitarian supplies to non-Government-controlled areas last Friday.

Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, mentioned that it was monitoring the “highly…unpredictable” situation and stood ready to help in case any new humanitarian needs arose.

It was important to remember also that there is a pre-existing displacement crisis caused by an earlier conflict in Eastern Ukraine, UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo said, a reference to the 1.5 million people who’ve been forced to leave their homes since the onset of conflict in 2014.

According to the UN’s 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan for Ukraine, some 144,000 internally displaced persons live in government-controlled areas of Donetsk, Luhansk and other areas.

(NAN)