Russia-Ukraine war latest: West and Russia clash over UN’s right to probe drone use

The United States and its Western allies on the Security Council have insisted the U.N. chief has the right to investigate if Russia has used Iranian drones to attack civilians and power plants in Ukraine. 

Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, who called the council meeting held on Wednesday, argued that only the Security Council can mandate an investigation.

But the US and its allies dismissed the argument that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would be violating the U.N. Charter by probing Russia’s drone use.

Britain’s Deputy Ambassador James Kariuki called Moscow’s argument “another attempt by Russia to distract from its crimes in Ukraine, and Iran and Russia’s failure to abide by their international obligations.”

US Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood described Russia’s contention “simply dumbfounding” and an attempt “to deflect attention from its own egregious wrongdoing in Ukraine.”