The UN Just Suspended Russia From Its Human Rights Council Over 'Gross' Abuses In Ukraine

Russia has been temporarily booted out of the United Nations Human Rights Council because of its actions in Ukraine, and G7 members couldn't agree more.

On Thursday, the U.N. General Assembly voted to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council amid reports that Russian soldiers are targeting civilians and committing other war crimes in Ukraine.

According to a draft of the resolution, Russia's "gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights" and "violations of international humanitarian law" in Ukraine have been a source of "grave concern."

Of the 193 members of the U.N. General Assembly, 93 voted in favour of suspending Russia, while 24 voted against and 58 abstained.

The vote comes as gruesome photos and stories continue to emerge from Bucha, a Ukrainian town just outside of Kyiv where Russian soldiers allegedly tortured and executed civilians in all sorts of brutal ways before leaving them in the streets.

Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador Gennady Kuzmin claims that Russia withdrew from the council before the vote, the Associated Press reports.

Now that Russia has been suspended from the council, the U.N. can launch a review of the matter, reports CNN.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told CNN that "Russia should not have a position of authority in a body whose purpose — whose very purpose — is to promote respect for human rights. Not only is it the height of hypocrisy — it is dangerous."

"Every day, we see more and more how little Russia respects human rights," she added. "Russia's participation on the Human Rights Council hurts the Council's credibility. It undermines the entire U.N. And it is just plain wrong."

The decision comes on the same day that G7 leaders blasted Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, in a joint statement. The group, which includes the U.S. and Canada, collectively condemned "in the strongest terms the appalling atrocities by Russian armed forces in Bucha and other Ukrainian towns."

The G7 leaders also promised more steps to punish Russia for the "murder of civilians and non-combatants," which is "categorically prohibited under international humanitarian law."

The G7 leaders added that they "continue to stand in full solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people."

This article's left-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.