In a diplomatic quirk, Russia chairs a UN meeting decrying its strike on a Ukraine kids' hospital
UN Security Council members confronted Russia on Tuesday over a missile strike the previous day that destroyed part of Ukraine's largest children's hospital, pouring out condemnations at an emergency meeting chaired by Moscow's own ambassador. Russia denies responsibility for the strike at the hospital, where at least two staffers were killed.
France and Ecuador asked for the session at the Security Council, but Russia led it as the current holder of the council's rotating presidency, putting Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia on the receiving end of the criticism.
«Mr President, please stop this war. It has been going on for too long,» Slovenian Ambassador Samuel Zbogar appealed.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told colleagues that they were there «because Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, current rotational president of the Security Council, attacked a children's hospital».
«Even uttering that phrase sends a chill down my spine,» she added.
Nebenzia characterised the slew of criticism as «verbal gymnastics» from countries trying to protect Ukraine's government. He reiterated Moscow's denials of responsibility for the hospital attack, insisting it was hit by a Ukrainian air defense rocket.
«If this had been a Russian strike, there would have been nothing left of the building,» Nebenzia said, adding that «all the children and most of the adults would have been killed, and not wounded».
The strike on the Okhmatdyt children's hospital was part of a massive daytime barrage in multiple cities,
