UN vows to continue Black Sea safety talks with Türkiye, Ukraine, Russia

As civilian casualties mount in Ukraine, the UN has reiterated its commitment to maintaining dialogue with Türkiye, Ukraine, and Russia to ensure the freedom and safety of navigation in the Black Sea.

"While the worst impact of the war continues to be felt in the front line communities of eastern and southern Ukraine, death and destruction is also a daily occurrence away from the areas of active fighting," Miroslav Jenca, UN assistant secretary general for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, told a session of the UN Security Council.

Emphasising the war’s escalating toll on Ukraine’s civilian population, Jenca said: "In September, at least 208 Ukrainian civilians were killed and 1,220 injured, making it the month with the highest number of civilian casualties this year in Ukraine."

Jenca cited the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, which reported that nearly 12,000 civilians, including 622 children, had been killed and over 25,000 more injured since Russia's military offensive in February 2022.

Freedom, safety of navigation

Highlighting Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea, he said that "the UN therefore continues engagement with Ukraine, the Russian Federation and Türkiye, as well as other stakeholders, in support of freedom and safety of navigation in the Black Sea."

He also drew attention to the torture faced by prisoners of war in both Ukraine and Russia, stating that 97 percent of Ukrainian prisoners and 50 percent of Russian prisoners reported being subjected to torture or ill-treatment during captivity.

"We urge the authorities of the Russian Federation, as well as of Ukraine, to end this practice and hold perpetrators accountable," he said.

November will mark 1,000 days since the beginning of Russia's military offensive, "a war" that Jenca described as causing "deep human suffering, threatening regional stability, and worsening global divisions."