India calls for immediate cessation of hostilities amidst concerning situation in Ukraine

New Delhi, Nov 17: India voiced its concern about energy and food security around the world due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Addressing the United Nations Security Council debate on Ukraine, India's top ambassador to the UN spoke about the adverse impact the conflict in Ukraine is having especially for developing nations.

"The impact of the Ukraine conflict is not just limited to Europe, but Global South is especially facing serious economic consequences. We are seeing the growing concern on energy and food security from the conflict after severe stress due to the pandemic," Ruchira Kamboj, India's Permanent Representative to the UN said.

She further added, 'we very much hope that UN facilitated Black Sea grains and fertiliser package deal will be renewed in the coming days and that this will be implemented by all parties earnestly in all aspects."

The briefing at the UNSC comes at a time when scores of people in Ukraine are without water, electricity or heating owing a wave of missile attacks that hit the critical infrastructure in 16 of the 24 regions in the country including its capital Kyiv.

According to the UN Human Rights Office, the new wave of missile strikes, the largest on energy infrastructure since the start of the war has caused widespread delays in trains across the country. It has also left millions of people without telecommunications.

"Power outages are affecting between 80 and 90 per cent of people in the regions like the western Ternopil or Lviv and affecting water pumping systems in the western Ivano-Frankivska region and eastern Kharkiv region. People in other regions and cities across the country face similar challenges," the UN agency also said.

This damage to infrastructure comes at a time when the temperature is dropping below zero and this has raised concerns about serious humanitarian crisis during the harsh winter in Ukraine.

Kamboj further said that India remains concerned about the situation in Ukraine and the targeting of civilian infrastructure. "Since the beginning of the conflict, India has consistently called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an end to the violence. We thus stand ready to support all efforts aimed at de-escalation," she added.