Ukraine – Condemnation of Russian strikes (21 september 2023)

France utterly condemns the waves of Russian cruise-missile strikes in Ukraine, which killed at least two people in Kherson, injured several others in Kyiv and caused power cuts in five of the country’s regions.

These strikes against civilians and the campaign to destroy energy infrastructure as winter approaches – a repeat of last winter’s campaign – constitute a further flagrant, deliberate violation of international humanitarian law by Russia in Ukraine.

As Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna has repeatedly stressed, these unacceptable acts constitute war crimes and cannot go unpunished. France will continue to lend support to the Ukrainian courts and the International Criminal Court to combat impunity for such crimes.

The Minister also stressed to the United Nations Security Council that, as we celebrate World Peace Day today, 21 September, we all have a responsibility as much as a moral duty to act to end this aggression by Russia, as the General Assembly has categorically asked it to do.

France will continue its aid to Ukraine in every sector for as long as necessary to help it resist Russia’s illegal aggression.