UNSC to Hold Emergency Meeting on Russian Attacks in Ukraine

The United Nations Security Council will convene an urgent meeting on May 19, 2026, to address the severe escalation of Russian military strikes against Ukrainian civilians and critical infrastructure. The session was requested by Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Andrii Melnyk, in a formal letter to Fu Cong, China’s Permanent Representative and current Security Council president. Melnyk reported that between May 4 and May 11, Russian forces deployed approximately 600 strike drones and 16 ballistic missiles, resulting in over 40 civilian deaths and more than 200 injuries. He highlighted May 5 as one of the deadliest recent days, with casualties in Zaporizhzhia, Kramatorsk, Dnipro, and Poltava. The envoy condemned these actions as flagrant violations of international humanitarian law, noting they occurred despite a ceasefire proposal by President Volodymyr Zelensky and a declared ceasefire period following statements by U.S. President Donald Trump. Further attacks on May 13 involving over 800 drones killed at least eight people. Ukraine asserts that Russia is choosing escalation and terror over diplomacy, urging the international community to recognize these systematic strikes as potential war crimes and crimes against humanity.