'Shocking magnitude': Destruction caused by Russia-Ukraine war will harm generations to come, says UN 

Geneva: The shocking magnitude of destruction inflicted by Russia’s war in Ukraine will harm the rights of generations to come, the UN rights chief said Tuesday. Volker Turk branded it a “betrayal” of the promises made when the foundations of universal human rights were laid down in the aftermath of World War II. He also accused Russian state media of bombarding people with constant pro-war messages inciting hatred. “The war in Ukraine has led to civilian casualties and destruction of a shocking magnitude,” Turk said in his main speech to the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva. “The rights of Ukrainians will be harmed for generations to come, and the war’s impact on fuel and food prices, as well as geopolitical tensions, are impacting negatively on people in every region of the world. “That such damage could once again be done across the world by warfare in Europe is a betrayal of the promises of transformative change made at our foundation over 75 years ago.” Turk is due to speak further on the war in Ukraine on March 31. Concern at trends in Russia Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbour on February 24 last year, his office has recorded and verified 8,173 civilians killed and 13,620 injured, though the true toll will be far higher. Turk said he was deeply concerned by multiple trends within Russia. He cited the closures of the top independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta and Russia’s oldest human rights organisation, the Moscow Helsinki Group, as “another sign of the demise of Russia’s civic space”. “Constant pro-war messages on state media feed stereotypes and incite hatred and violence,” he said. Turk said more than 180 criminal cases had been opened on charges related to alleged defamation of Russia’s armed forces, with those convicted so far including a journalist and a municipal councillor. “Since December, any person or entity considered to be ‘under foreign influence’ – an overly wide and vague qualification – can be designated as a ‘foreign agent’ and subjected to numerous restrictions,” he added. Turk also said he was troubled by legislation prohibiting so-called “propaganda of non-traditional relationships” being extended to cover information to anyone about LGBTQ relationships and sexuality, as well as gender transitioning. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.