Ukraine’s Ombudsperson challenges “impartiality” of UN mission to occupied Olenivka

The official raised his concerns over the issue in a Facebook posting on Friday, Ukrinform reports.

"Obviously, only such a composition of the mission could satisfy Russia, and today we saw the statement of Russia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrei Rudenko, on ‘discussion of details of the trip, its routes and the mission’s composition," the ombudsperson wrote.

The official noted that the well-known "principle of neutrality" of international organizations is reflected in the name of the mission: "But are its participants as neutral as their mission’s name?" he added.

The official informed that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had appointed Brazil’s Lieutenant General (retired) Alberto dos Santos Cruz as head of the mission tasked with investigating the explosion in the Olenivka prison, which is reported to have killed 53 Ukrainian prisoners of war.

"And although the UN release reports on the lieutenant general's participation in peacekeeping missions in the Congo and Haiti, modestly stating that he ‘held numerous leadership positions in Brazil,’ it is important to note that one of these positions is that of Minister-Secretary in the Government of the Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro," the ombudsman clarified.

Lubinets added that Cruz had actively supported the far-right leader of Brazil both during his election campaign and after he was elected.

He recalled that Bolsonaro came to Moscow on February 16, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing "solidarity" with Russia, without specifying the circumstances of talks.

"And within a few days, he ‘suspended’ his vice president, Hamilton Murao, for comparing Russian aggression with Hitler's invasion of Europe in the 1930s. Bolsonaro said that ‘he is the only one to speak on this topic.’ Without once condemning Russia's aggressive actions towards Ukraine, he said that "we want peace,’” Lubinets noted.

He added that another participant in the fact-finding mission is the OSCE ODIHR’s ex-chief Ingibjörg Solrún Gísladóttir of Iceland.

The Human Rights Commissioner informed that the Permanent Representation of Ukraine to international organizations in Vienna had repeatedly appealed to Gisladóttir with a request to react to systematic violations of human rights in the occupied Crimea and Donbas, as well as to ensure constant monitoring.

"The U.S. Mission to the OSCE also drew attention to Gisladóttir’s showing move to ignore the issue of Russian aggression in annual reports. However, most revealing is Gisladóttir's statement, in which she condemns the 2019 decision of the Ukrainian parliament to limit the possibility for Russian observers to be part of election monitoring missions on the eve of the presidential race, also noting that the observers from Russia represent not their country, but the OSCE," emphasized Lubinets.

The Ukrainian ombudsman noted that currently there is less information on the third member of the mission, Mr. Issoufa Yakub of Niger, who has experience in UN policing missions, including in Mali.

At the same time, Lubinets noted that, although Yakub himself did not speak much publicly, "it is worth noting that the Russian Federation had massive influence and vested interests in Mali."

"Regarding the situation in Mali, there were many statements by Western powers about the spread of the practice of involving PMC Wagner and the strengthening of Russian influence, which ultimately led to the withdrawal of the French contingent from the country and the completion of the mission," he clarified.

The Human Rights Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine said he would not be surprised if the mission to Olenivka could be similar to that of IAEA, where Kremlin propagandists will have access to the site rather than international media, while mission members will be escorted along the pre-planned route. "It seems that they are prepared for this," he said.

As reported, at a meeting of the UN Security Council, Rosemary Dicarlo, Deputy chief for political affairs, said that in the coming days a mission would be deployed to establish the facts related to the terrorist attack in Olenivska prison, as a result of which 53 Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed.