Ukraine’s Envoy Melnyk Blasts Russia’s ‘Fake’ Starobilsk Narrative at UN

Key Points:

• Ukraine’s UN Ambassador Andriy Melnyk accused Russia of fabricating a false narrative about the Starobilsk dormitory strike, highlighting contradictions in Moscow’s claims about targeting children and the number of drones used.
• Melnyk condemned Russia’s recent massive missile and drone attack on Kyiv as a brutal assault causing extensive damage to residential buildings, cultural sites, and infrastructure, resulting in casualties and widespread destruction.
• He criticized Russia’s denial of targeting civilians, citing admissions from Kremlin propagandists that Russian strikes are indiscriminate, and mocked Russian claims that attacks were aimed at “decision-making centers” by pointing to destroyed civilian markets.
• Melnyk warned of Belarus’s increasing involvement in the war as a potential new front, emphasizing Ukraine’s readiness to defend itself against any aggression from Belarusian territory.
• The ambassador called on Western partners to significantly increase air defense support for Ukraine and urged stronger sanctions enforcement to cut off Russia’s financial resources fueling the war.