Russia-Ukraine war: Russia's call for a secret vote on Ukraine rejected by UN

The 193-member U.N. General Assembly voted on Monday to reject Russia's request that it holds a secret vote this week on whether to denounce Moscow's attempt to annexe four partially occupied regions of Ukraine.

With 107 votes in favour, the General Assembly agreed to hold a public vote rather than a secret one on a draught resolution denouncing Russia's "illegal so-called referenda" and the "attempted illegal annexation." According to diplomats, the resolution's voting will probably take place on Wednesday.

On Monday, just 13 nations rejected a vote in public on the resolution draught, 39 nations were silent, and the rest did not participate. Because of Western influence, Russia has maintained that a secret ballot was required because "it may be very difficult if positions are expressed publicly."

Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia are the four partially occupied territories in Ukraine that Moscow has tried to annex after conducting what it referred to as referendums. The voting has been criticised as being unlawful and coerced by Ukraine and its allies.

The draught resolution, which will be voted on later this week, reiterates Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and urges nations not to acknowledge Russia's action.
The international community was urged earlier on Monday by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to make it clear that Russian President Vladimir Putin's activities are "completely unacceptable."

"Now is the time to speak out in support of Ukraine; it is not the time for abstentions, placating words, or equivocations under claims of neutrality. The core principles of the U.N. Charter are at stake," In a statement, Blinken stated.

The 15-member Security Council rejected a similar proposal last month due to Russia's veto. After nearly three-quarters of the General Assembly censured Moscow and demanded that it withdraw its soldiers within a week of its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, it has been attempting to lessen its international isolation.

The actions at the UN are a reflection of what took place in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine. A draught resolution that rejected a vote on the status of Crimea and urged nations not to recognise it was vetoed by Russia at the Security Council.

Following that, the General Assembly passed a resolution invalidating the referendum with 100 votes in favour, 11 votes against, and 58 official abstentions. Twenty-one countries chose not to participate.

(With inputs from Reuters)