The UN will hold a vote on Thursday to determine whether Russia should be kicked off the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) over the reports of atrocities committed in areas of Ukraine that it had occupied.
The resolution was introduced by the US after evidence of civilian killings emerged in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha.
Russia has warned countries that attempts to throw it off the 47-member panel will be viewed as an “unfriendly gesture,” according to a letter to diplomats seen by Reuters.
Russia’s mission to the UN in New York called on countries to “speak out against the anti-Russian resolution”. A two-thirds majority is required to expel Russia from the group.
In a statement to Tass news agency, the head of Russia’s UN mission said: “If the resolution is adopted, the Westerners will be able to freely impose on the rest of the countries the concepts and their vision of human rights that please them and their Western accomplices.”
“The suspension of Russia’s rights as a member of the Human Rights Council will discredit the principle of the Council’s universality, harm its effectiveness, and completely undermine trust not only in the Human Rights Council, but in the entire UN human rights system,” said Gennady Gatilov.
