Russia-Ukraine Crisis: India abstains as UN launches probe into 'rights violation' by Russians

Representative Image (Reuters)

India on March 4 abstained from a vote on a UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution for a probe into alleged human rights violations by Russian troops during the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

This is the sixth time that India has abstained from a Ukraine-related vote, including on a resolution each in the Security Council, General Assembly and Human Rights Council, since a procedural vote in the Security Council in late January called for a discussion on Ukraine, the Times of India reported.

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India was among the 13 countries that abstained along with China and Pakistan. The three are yet to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24.

The resolution was adopted by the 47-member UNHRC with 32 votes in favour.

India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations TS Tirumurti said in the meeting that the country attached the highest importance to ensuring the safety and security of nuclear facilities in Ukraine. Tirumurti called for an immediate cessation of violence and an end to all hostilities.

Ukraine had earlier informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Russian forces had taken control of the site of the country's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). But Director-General Rafael Mario Grossi said that the nuclear power plant continued to be operated by its regular staff and there had been no release of radioactive material.

Ukrainian counterparts informed the IAEA that a projectile overnight had hit a training building in the vicinity of one of the plant's reactor units, causing a localised fire that was later extinguished.