The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly condemned Russia's attempted annexation of four Ukrainian areas while Kyiv's allies committed more military aid after intense Russian missile strikes. In New York, three-quarters of the 193-member General Assembly - 143 countries - voted on Wednesday in favour of a resolution that called Moscow's move illegal, deepening Russia's international isolation. Only four countries joined Russia in voting against the resolution - Syria, Nicaragua, North Korea and Belarus.
Thirty-five countries abstained from the vote, including Russia's strategic partner China, while the rest did not vote. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Twitter he was "grateful to 143 states that supported historic #UNGA resolution ...(Russia's) attempt at annexation is worthless."
India also abstained in the UN General Assembly over the draft resolution, saying that New Delhi's decision is "consistent" with its "well thought out national position" and the country stands ready to support all efforts aimed at de-escalation while underlining the importance of peaceful solution through dialogue and diplomacy.
In the explanation of the vote after the action was taken on the draft resolution, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said India urged that all efforts be made for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an urgent return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy.
The General Assembly vote followed a veto by Russia last month of a similar resolution in the 15-member Security Council.
Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the General Assembly ahead of the vote that the resolution was "politicized and openly provocative," adding that it "could destroy any and all efforts in favour of a diplomatic solution to the crisis."
Meanwhile, officials said that Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles on the Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv on Thursday. “A five-storey residential building was hit, the two upper floors were completely destroyed, the rest under rubble. Rescuers are working on the site,” said Mayor Oleksandr Senkevich in a social media post, adding that the southern city was "massively shelled". Russia also targeted a settlement in the region of Ukraine's capital Kyiv using explosive drones early on Thursday, the region's administration said on the Telegram messaging app, though there were no details on casualties.
