UN puts Russia on 'list of shame' over children in conflict

The United Nations has put Russian military forces and proxy armed groups on its "list of shame" over violating children's rights in its war in Ukraine, according to a document seen by AFP Thursday.

In an annual report UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "appalled by the high number of grave violations against children in Ukraine" committed in 2022.

"I am particularly shocked by the high number of attacks on schools and hospitals and protected personnel, and by the high number of children killed and maimed attributed to the Russian forces and affiliated armed groups," Guterres said in the report, which was distributed to members of the Security Council on Thursday and seen by an AFP reporter.

According to the document, 477 children were killed in Ukraine last year, including 136 deaths attributed to Russian forces and affiliated groups and 80 to Ukrainian armed forces. A further 909 children were maimed, 518 of them by Russian forces and proxy groups and 175 by Ukrainian forces, the report said.

The report will be released publicly next week.

Despite repeated requests from human rights organizations, Israel was not added to the shame list for how it treats children in its fight against Palestinian militants.

Guterres noted a "meaningful decrease in the number of children killed by Israeli forces, including by air strikes" last year compared to the previous report.

"Nevertheless, I remain deeply concerned by the number of children killed and maimed by Israeli forces during hostilities," Guterres added, "and through the use of live ammunition during law enforcement operations, and by the persistent lack of accountability for these violations."

AFP