STATEMENT BY THE DELEGATION OF UKRAINE As delivered by Ms Viktoria Kuvshynnykova, Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna 1574 th meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council Agenda Item 1, “The Russian Federation’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine” (23 July 2026) Mr Chairperson, Since the Permanent Council met last week, the Russian Federation has further intensified its ballistic terror against Ukraine, once again demonstrating its total disregard for international law, for civilian lives, and for all efforts the international community takes to restore a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace. Over the weekend, Kyiv was subjected to one of the largest ballistic missile attacks since February 2022. On the night of 18 to 19 July, in a single, coordinated attack, the aggressor state launched 41 missiles and more than 120 drones of various types at the city. As a result, one person was killed, and 17 others were injured. No less intensive were Russian strikes against other regions of Ukraine. On the same day, Russian forces struck a postal terminal near Kharkiv, killing four people and injuring 20 others. Another attack on Izium injured 20 civilians. In Zaporizhzhia, a Russian guided aerial bomb killed two people and injured a further 42. Across the Donetsk and Sumy regions, at least five civilians were killed, and another 20 were injured. On 20 July, yet another Russian strike on Pavlohrad killed two people and injured 15 more. All these attacks form a deeply alarming pattern of escalating violence against civilians. As verified by the UN, in June 2026 alone, at least 293 civilians were killed, and 1,990 were injured. Following the sharp increase recorded by the independent observers in May, civilian casualties reached their highest level since April 2022. This cannot become the new normal. Those responsible for targeting civilians must be held accountable. At the same time, the growing scale of Russia's attacks makes clear that Ukraine urgently needs stronger air defence. Protecting Ukraine's people is essential not only for Ukraine's security, but also for the security and stability of the entire Euro -Atlantic area. The OSCE Secretariat bears no responsibility for the content of this document and circulates it without altering its content. The distribution by OSCE Conference Services of this document is without prejudice to OSCE decisions, as set out in documents agreed by OSCE participating States. PC.DEL/789/26 24 July 2026 ENGLISH only
2 Mr Chairperson, As the humanitarian consequences of Russia's war against civilians continue to deteriorate, Russia dismisses every genuine call for peace as an ultimatum. Yet the only party speaking the language of ultimatums is Russia itself. Here, in the OSCE, this Russian language of demands, false accusations, and military propaganda is extremely vivid. As usual, such statements are unverified, based on manipulations and cherry-picking. Every week, we continue to hear claims of Russian battlefield success. In reality, every limited territorial gain, if any, comes at an enormous human cost. Russia's reports on the seizure of settlements are repeated for months. Its army relies on attritional assaults, sacrificing thousands of its own soldiers to sustain its war of aggression. In June alone, around 30,000 Russian soldiers were reported killed or wounded. We also continue to hear attempts to rewrite international law and distort OSCE commitments. The facts are straightforward. Russia's invasion of a sovereign state is a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, and the fundamental principles of European security. Over and over again, we hear Russia's repeated attempts to portray itself as a victim of hostile actions. The facts demonstrate the opposite. Every restrictive measure imposed on Russia has been a direct response to its own unlawful conduct. Mr Chairperson, Russia's disinformation will not change these facts. Nor will it weaken the international community's resolve. That resolve was clearly demonstrated during the recent solidarity visit by the Permanent Representatives of OSCE participating States, who witnessed first-hand the devastating consequences of Russia's war of aggression. As Minister Sybiha said during his meeting with the OSCE Ambassadors: "Russia is not winning this war and will not achieve its strategic objectives. This is precisely why the Kremlin continues to escalate terror against civilians. Instead, Moscow must engage in diplomacy and end its war." Indeed, Russia must engage in genuine diplomacy. But its conduct leaves only one conclusion: pressure must increase. Stronger sanctions are needed to further weaken Russia's war machine. Ukraine also needs increased military, financial, and humanitarian support to defend its people and withstand continued attacks on civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities. Right now, European security is at a defining moment. Only sustained pressure and staunch support for Ukraine's self-defence will convince Russia that continuing this war is more costly than ending it. Thank you, Mr Chairperson.