Blinken says Russian ‘crimes’ mounting by hour in Ukraine

GENEVA (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told the U.N. Human Rights Council on Tuesday that Russian “crimes” in Ukraine are “mounting by the hour”, with strikes hitting hospitals, schools and residential buildings.

Blinken, addressing the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva,

said that the forum’s urgent debate on Ukraine scheduled for Thursday, where a resolution brought by Kyiv and allies would set up an international probe into violations, is an “important step toward ensuring documentation and accountability”.

“We must send a resolute and unified message that President (Vladimir) Putin should unconditionally stop this,” he said.

Blinken also said that China “continues to commit genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang” against Muslim Uyghurs, and called for U.N. human rights boss Michelle Bachelet to release her office’s report with findings on the situation.

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; editing by Emma Farge)