Ukraine at OSCE: It’s high time for new devastating sanctions on Russia

By blowing up the Kakhovka HPP, the Russian Federation once again confirmed its terrorist nature, so the time has come for the international community to impose new devastating sanctions on the aggressor.

Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna, said at a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council, convened in connection with Russia's blowing up the Kakhovka HPP, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

The Ukrainian diplomat said that the attack constituted a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions, including the Article 56 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I which provides for the prohibition on attacking installations as dams, dykes and nuclear electrical generating stations.

“Furthermore, the destruction of the dam is yet another evidence testifying to a genocidal war waged by Russia against Ukraine. According to the UN Convention, genocide means ‘deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.’ This what was Russia doing before by destroying hospitals, schools, critical infrastructure, residential buildings,” Tsymbaliuk stressed.

He underscored that blowing up the dam also amounts to an act of ecocide, noting that a relevant pre-trial investigation has already been launched in Ukraine.

“We are grateful to all partners who have already suggested help and assistance in overcoming the consequences of the Russian crime. We call the OSCE to explore and utilize all existing possibilities to contribute to this endeavour,” the diplomat added.

Furthermore, Tsymbaliuk said, the Russian technological crime “confirms the high relevance of the Peace Formula of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.”

He called on international partners to join its implementation as soon as possible, in particular the points on countering ecocide, nuclear and energy security.

Ukraine’s Permanent Representative also emphasized that the Kakhovka HPP explosion is yet another argument for the recognition of Russia as a terrorist state. According to him, there were already too many warnings about Russia’s terrorist nature. One of them was from President Zelenskyy on the 20th of October last year.

Then in his daily address, the Ukrainian President called “all world leaders should make Russia understand that the terrorist attack on the Kakhovka HPP will be equated to the use of weapons of mass destruction”. According to Tsymbaliuk, “already then there was information that Russia was preparing for at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant.”

“According to our information, the aggregates and dam of the Kakhovka HPP were mined by Russian terrorists. So, it is high time for new devastating sanctions on Russia, including its missile industry and atomic energy sphere. And the most dangerous terrorist in the world cannot be a part of respected international organizations, including of the OSCE. This regime has morally bankrupted long ago to be trusted and talked with,” the Permanent Representative of Ukraine said.

As reported, Russian troops blew up the Kakhovka HPP on June 6. The plant was completely destroyed as an engine room was blown up from the inside. About 80 settlements are in the flooding zone, people are evacuated.