India condemns Ukraine civilian killings, urges independent probe at UNSC meet

India on Tuesday condemned the killing of civilians at Bucha in Ukraine and called for an independent probe into the incident. This is the first time Indian officials publicly censured actions blamed on Russian forces.

Speaking at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, TS Tirumurti, the Indian representative to the UN, described reports of civilian killings in Bucha as “deeply disturbing”.

“We unequivocally condemn these killings and support the call for an independent investigation,” Tirumurti said.

He added that the situation in Ukraine has not shown any “significant improvement”. “The security situation has only deteriorated, as well as its humanitarian consequences,” he said.

Meanwhile, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US representative to the UN, accused the Russian forces of committing “war crimes” in Bucha, while the Albanian official who spoke at the meeting raised the discovery of mass graves and bodies found with their hands tied behind their backs.

Tirumurti said India continues to be “deeply concerned at the worsening situation” in Ukraine and “reiterates its call for immediate cessation of violence and end to hostilities”. 

“We have emphasised right from the beginning of the conflict the need to pursue the path of diplomacy and dialogue. When innocent human lives are at stake, diplomacy must prevail as the only viable option.”

He added, “The impact of the crisis is being felt beyond the region with increasing food and energy costs, especially for many developing countries. It is in our collective interest to work constructively, both inside the United Nations and outside, towards seeking an early resolution to the conflict.

Tirumurti reiterated the importance of the UN Guiding Principles of Humanitarian Assistance and said that "We continue to emphasise to all member states of the UN that the global order is anchored on international law, UN Charter and respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of states,” he said.

(With agency inputs)