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From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Ukrainian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ivan Kholostenko, has called on the international community to prevail on Russia to halt its ballistic missile strike on Ukraine.
Kholostenko, in a statement issued in Abuja, recalled that on the night of January 8, 2026, the Russian Federation carried out a missile strike against Ukraine’s Lviv region.
The envoy said that statements by the Russian side showed that an intermediate-range ballistic missile, the so-called “Oreshnik,” was used during the attack.
He further called on international partners to take more decisive action, emphasising that Russia systematically ignored international norms, not only in Europe.
“Russia demonstrates disregard for international law across all continents – from Europe to Africa, from the Middle East to global maritime routes. Impunity only encourages further aggression. That is why international pressure on Russia must be strengthened immediately and globally,” Kholostenko said.
Kholostenko also emphasised that restrictive measures should not be limited exclusively to the European dimension, adding that in a globalised economy, they must be applied more broadly, taking into account, the fact that Russia exploited existing gaps in international regulation to sustain its military actions.
In response to the latest escalation, Ukraine is initiating international steps, including the convening of an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council, a meeting of the Ukraine–NATO Council, as well as consultations within the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The envoy further recalled that the missile strike on the Lviv region was part of a systematic campaign of terror against Ukraine’s civilian population and expressed concern that children are increasingly becoming victims of Russia’s actions.
