Russia-Ukraine war: Moscow has no place in UNHRC, says Canadian Minister

As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accuses Russia of largescale war crimes in Bucha, a top Canadian lawmaker joined him saying that Moscow shouldn’t be allowed to sit in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). In an online statement released on Tuesday, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly accused Moscow of repeatedly committing  “war crimes” on Ukrainian soil since its offensive began on February 24. Notably, the US has led the movement to expel Moscow from the UN organ following the discovery of civilian dead bodies in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha over the weekend. 

“With ongoing reports of heinous acts of violence and war crimes at the hands of Russian forces, Russia’s utter disregard for human rights could not be any clearer,” she said in a Twitter statement adding that “Russia has no place on the UNHRC.” 

In a separate tweet, Joly revealed that she had a conversation with Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Heorhiyeuna Tsikhanouskaya, wherein both of them discussed tougher sanctions against the Alexander Lukashenko-led regime. "There must be tougher sanctions against the regime with no loopholes," she said. They also discussed support for Ukrainians. 

Zelenskyy says Russia 'purposefully killed' Bucha residents 

Earlier in the day, Ukraine's embattled president Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared his experience during his recent visit to Bucha. Underlining that the region was not far from the capital city, Kyiv, the Ukraine President highlighted how the Russian troops left no crime uncommitted in the region. The comedian-turned-politician even claimed that the Russian troops ''searched and purposefully killed'' anyone who seemed to be working for Ukraine. 

"I am addressing you on behalf of the people who honour the memories of the deceased every single day- those who were killed, shot in their head after being tortured. Some were shot in their streets, others were thrown into the well. So, they die in suffering," Zelenskyy said.

"They were killed in their apartment, their houses blown up by grenades. The civilians were crushed by tanks while sitting in their cars on the roads," the Ukrainian president continued adding, "Women were raped and killed in front of their children. Their tongues were pulled out because they did not say what the aggressors wanted to hear." 

(Image: AP)