Baltic States Tell UN Russia’s War Has Cost It 1.4M Battlefield Casualties

The Baltic states told the UN Security Council that Russia’s escalating attacks on Ukrainian civilians are part of a sustained “campaign of terror,” warning that Moscow’s conduct is incompatible with its role as a permanent member of the council.

Julius Pranevičius, Lithuania’s ambassador to the UN, delivered the statement on behalf of the Baltic states - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - during the Security Council meeting on Russia’s war against Ukraine.

They condemned Russia’s latest wave of strikes, noting that on July 6 Moscow launched 68 missiles and 351 long-range drones against Ukraine, killing at least 23 people.

Kyiv was Russia’s main target, with 15 people killed and 56 injured in the capital. Another eight people were killed and 21 wounded in the wider Kyiv region.

“These attacks are not isolated incidents, but part of a sustained campaign of terror against Ukraine’s civilian population,” the statement said.

The Baltic states said Russia’s actions follow a well-documented pattern of violations recorded in UN Secretary-General reports. For four years, Russia’s armed forces have been listed for grave violations against children, and this year they were also listed for conflict-related sexual violence.

Such conduct, the statement noted, is “fundamentally incompatible” with the responsibilities of a permanent member of the Security Council and with the obligations of every UN member state.

The Baltic states also backed the Secretary-General’s decision to prohibit countries repeatedly listed in UN reports on children and armed conflict, as well as conflict-related sexual violence, from participating in UN peacekeeping operations.

“A military repeatedly listed for grave violations against children and conflict-related sexual violence cannot credibly be entrusted with the protection of civilians under the UN flag,” the statement said.

They called for full accountability for Russia and all those responsible for the crime of aggression, war crimes and other violations of international law.

The Baltic states said a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine is necessary not only for the victims of Russia’s war, but also to uphold international peace and security and prevent further Russian escalation.

“If Russia’s leaders are blind to the grief and misery that their aggression brings to Ukraine, it is time they realize consequences for Russia itself,” the statement said.

According to the Baltic states, Russia’s military has suffered 1.4 million battlefield casualties since the start of the full-scale invasion, including well over 450,000 deaths.

The statement also emphasized Europe’s growing support for Ukraine, saying European countries are mobilizing resources to strengthen Ukraine and increase resilience against Russian hybrid activities.

At the NATO summit in Ankara on July 8, allies pledged €70 billion in military equipment, assistance and training for Ukraine, the Baltic states noted.

They said the “current trajectory of senseless” destruction must end, calling on Russia to reject war and seek peace “first and foremost by agreeing to an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire.”