Russia Threatens States With Consequences Over U.N. Vote

Russia has warned countries at the United Nations that a yes vote or abstention on a U.S. push to suspend Moscow from the Human Rights Council will be viewed as an “unfriendly gesture” with consequences for bilateral ties.

The United States said on Monday it would seek Russia’s suspension after Ukraine accused Russian troops of killing hundreds of civilians in the town of Bucha.

The 193-member U.N. General Assembly in New York is due to vote on the measure on Thursday.

A two-thirds majority of voting members – abstentions do not count – can suspend a country from the 47-member Geneva-based Human Rights Council for committing gross and systematic violations of human rights.

Russia’s mission to the United Nations urged countries to “speak out against the anti-Russian resolution but it was not immediately clear how many countries received the note.

Russia’s mission to the United Nations declined to comment on the letter because it was not public. Russia is in its second year of a three-year term on the Human Rights Council.

Olivia Dalton, spokesperson for the U.S. mission to the United Nations, said on Wednesday said that Russia blatantly and openly threatening countries who vote to suspend them from the U.N. Human Rights Council is only further evidence that Russia needs to be suspended immediately from the U.N. Human Rights Council.