Families across Ukraine are in “constant survival mode” amid ongoing waves of Russian missile and drone strikes that have left blocks without power for days at a time, while temperatures plunge to deadly lows, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.
In war-torn Sudan, local communities say they don’t have enough settlements for the internally displaced, few solutions for women who have suffered sexual violence – and there’s a lack of aid available for people with disabilities.
Peacekeeping operations in the Middle East are facing mounting security risks, funding pressures and political uncertainty, the head of UN peacekeeping warned on Friday.
Mr. President,
For nearly three weeks, popular protests in the Islamic Republic of Iran have rapidly evolved into nationwide upheaval, resulting in significant loss of life.
Demonstrations started on 28 December 2025, as a group of shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar gathered to protest the sharp collapse of the currency and soaring inflation, amid a wider economic downturn and worsening living conditions.
In the following days, demonstrations quickly spread throughout the country and turned into mass anti-government protests—the largest since the “Woman, Life, Freedom” demonstrations of 2022. Protesters voiced grievances that went beyond longstanding economic and financial hardships. Marchers called for the downfall of the government, and demanded freedom, dignity and human rights, with some protesters chanting pro-monarchy slogans.
The protests were initially peaceful, with scattered clashes between protesters and security forces, according to reports by the media, observations of our United Nations colleagues in the country, and accounts by the Government of Iran.
However, on the evening of 8 January, protests spread throughout Tehran and other major cities. In response, the Iranian authorities imposed a near-total communications blackout, which remains largely in place today. The authorities also ordered university dormitories to be evacuated, erected concrete barriers around city centres, and reportedly used excessive force against protesters.
According to media and human rights groups, security forces reportedly killed hundreds or possibly thousands of protesters and bystanders between 8 and 10 January. The United Nations is unable to verify these figures.
The Government of Iran has stated that it was compelled to act after what it deemed “organized terrorists” and “rioters” infiltrated the protests and opened fire on both security forces and demonstrators, aiming to provoke foreign military intervention.
It has also blamed these elements for the killing of hundreds of civilians and members of the security forces.
Mr. President,
The Secretary-General has expressed deep concern over the reported excessive use of force in Iran and stressed the urgent need to prevent further casualties.
The Secretary-General underscored that all Iranians must be able to express their grievances peacefully and without fear. He stressed that the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly -- enshrined in international law -- must be fully respected and protected. He further urged steps to restore access to information, including lifting the communications blackout.
Human-rights monitors report mass arrests in Iran in connection with the current wave of protests, with estimates exceeding 18,000 detainees as of mid-January 2026, although the UN cannot verify these figures. We call on the authorities to respect due process and fair-trial rights for all detainees. All must be treated humanely and allowed access and visits by their families. In particular, we call on Iran to halt any executions linked to protest-related cases.
All deaths should be promptly, independently, and transparently investigated. Those responsible for any violations must be held to account in line with international norms and standards.
Mr. President,
The situation in Iran is fluid and deeply concerning. Protests continue, albeit reportedly at a smaller scale than last week.
In this context, we note with alarm various public statements suggesting possible military strikes on Iran.
This external dimension adds volatility to an already combustible situation. All efforts must be undertaken to prevent any further deterioration.
The Secretary-General remains convinced that all concerns regarding Iran, including those related to the nuclear issue and ongoing protests, are best addressed through diplomacy and dialogue.
He urges maximum restraint at this sensitive moment and calls on all actors to refrain from any actions that could lead to further loss of life or ignite a wider regional escalation.
Mr. President,
The Secretary-General reaffirms the principles of the Charter, including the obligation of Member States to settle disputes by peaceful means and the prohibition of the threat or use of force in international relations.
These principles are not abstract ideals—they are the bedrock of international peace and security. They remain as relevant today as they were when the United Nations was founded.
Thank you.
As nationwide protests in Iran appear to ease after nearly three weeks of unrest and bloodshed, a senior UN official called on Thursday for action to prevent further escalation.
The UN Security Council is meeting in New York in emergency session on Iran, amid escalating concern over reports that hundreds have been killed during weeks of nationwide anti-government protests. The meeting was requested by the United States. Demonstrations that began in late December, fuelled by soaring inflation, rising food prices and the collapse of the national currency, triggered a deadly and widespread crackdown with thousands injured and detained, according to numerous firsthand accounts. The UN has called for independent investigations into all killings and warned against the possible use of the death penalty against protesters. Follow live coverage below, and UN News app users can go here.
In his final annual address outlining his priorities, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the world is “brimming with conflict, impunity, inequality and unpredictability” – even as international cooperation is fraying at the moment it is most needed.
A fragile political calm in Yemen is fraying, with renewed instability and aid restrictions deepening hunger, illness and displacement for millions of civilians, senior UN officials warned the Security Council on Wednesday.
Amid ongoing and intensifying Russian attacks across Ukraine, the UN on Tuesday launched a $2.3 billion humanitarian appeal for 2026 to support 4.1 million of the country’s most vulnerable people.
Airstrikes, drone attacks and hypothermia continue in Gaza despite the ceasefire, with more than 100 youngsters killed since early October, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
Mr. President,
The start of the New Year has brought no peace or even respite to Ukraine, but renewed fighting and devastation.
Large-scale aerial assaults by the Russian Federation against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure across the country have resulted in horrific levels of destruction and suffering.
As temperatures plummet far below freezing, the Russian Federation has intensified its systematic attacks targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
The strikes have killed and injured scores of civilians and deprived millions of Ukrainians of electricity, heating and water for prolonged periods.
The impact of these attacks is felt hardest by the most vulnerable: the elderly, children, and persons with limited mobility.
They follow a well-established and deeply troubling pattern: attacks escalate when weather conditions worsen and people’s need for heating becomes most acute.
In one of the most recent large-scale barrages, overnight between 8 and 9 January, the Russian Federation reportedly launched 242 drones and 36 missiles against Ukraine.
In Kyiv, at least four people were reportedly killed and 25 others injured. A paramedic rushing to provide emergency medical care was among those killed, reportedly by a so-called “double-tap” strike.
Energy facilities and multiple residential buildings were damaged, leaving nearly half of the city and hundreds of thousands of residents without heating. The Embassy of Qatar was also damaged.
That same day, areas of the western Lviv region, near the Polish border, were reportedly targeted by a Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile, the so-called “Oreshnik”.
This would be the second time the potentially devastating weapon has been fired at Ukraine since 2024.
The Oreshnik system is believed to be capable of carrying nuclear weapons, which has heightened concern over its deployment.
According to Ukrainian authorities, this strike damaged gas distribution pipelines, raising additional concerns about risks to critical civilian infrastructure.
Also on 8 January, two foreign-flagged civilian vessels were hit by Russian drones in the Odesa region.
On 7 January, Russian strikes in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions reportedly left more than one million people without running water or heating.
In Kryvyi Rih, 17 people, including children, were reportedly injured when missiles and drones hit residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure.
And in the Odesa region, two people were reportedly killed and eight others injured in an attack on two ports. Cooking oil storage facilities and containers were damaged.
Odesa was hit again yesterday. This was the latest in a highly concerning escalation of strikes targeting Ukraine’s port infrastructure and commercial shipping.
In recent weeks, civilian casualties and extensive damage to critical infrastructure have also been reported in Kherson, Donetsk, Kharkiv and Sumy regions.
In total, since the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has verified that at least 14,999 civilians have been killed, including 763 children, and 40,601 civilians injured, including 2,486 children. The actual figures are likely higher. OHCHR’s Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has just reported that 2025 was the deadliest year for civilians since 2022.
Mr. President,
Inside the Russian Federation, local authorities continue to report civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure resulting from alleged Ukrainian strikes.
We are seeing additional reports of escalating cross-border attacks on Russia’s oil and energy facilities, some of which reportedly resulted in civilian casualties and damage to civilian and residential facilities.
In Belgorod oblast, local authorities reported that 600,000 residents were left without electricity, heating and water after a Ukrainian strike on 9 January.
The authorities also reported the use of drones targeting Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod regions on 10 January, which left one person killed and at least three other people injured.
Due to lack of access and limited public information, the United Nations is not in a position to verify these reports.
Mr. President,
We reiterate the Secretary-General’s strong condemnation of all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. Such attacks violate international humanitarian law.
No matter where they occur, they are unacceptable, unjustifiable, and must stop immediately.
Mr. President,
As hostilities intensify, the situation at Ukraine’s nuclear sites remains extremely precarious.
On the night of 3 January, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation, lost power from one of its high-voltage lines due to hostilities.
Over past week, the team of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the site has reported a significant increase in military activity in the areas surrounding the plant, including explosions heard close to the facility.
These events are exceedingly alarming. The IAEA continues its efforts to establish temporary ceasefire zones in the areas around the plant to allow for essential repair work to ensure its safe and secure functioning.
We urge both the Russian Federation and Ukraine to engage constructively with the IAEA and to immediately cease any military activities near the plant in order to reduce the risk of a catastrophic accident.
Mr. President,
In just over a month, we will mark four years since the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The war has brought untold suffering to the Ukrainian people, killed an unimaginable number of young men of both countries, caused global economic dislocation and sown instability in the region and beyond.
The damage it has done to the international system is still being measured. The war should never have started. It must stop.
We commend the efforts of the United States and all others concerned working towards peace.
We urge all involved to sustain this vital work, including through concrete steps to deescalate, stop the ongoing attacks impacting civilians in Ukraine and in the Russian Federation, and establish clear parameters to end this devastating conflict.
We reaffirm the Secretary-General’s repeated calls for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire as a first step towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace grounded in respect for international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.
Any peace in Ukraine must fully uphold the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders.
The United Nations remains ready to support all meaningful efforts toward this end.
Thank you, Mr. President.
The UN Security Council is meeting in emergency session in New York over Russia’s ongoing deadly missile and drone strikes targeting Ukrainian civilians and energy infrastructure, as frigid winter conditions grip the war-torn country. Millions have been deprived of electricity, heating and water. The UN Secretary-General has called the stepped up attacks an unacceptable violation of international humanitarian law. Follow live below and find all our in-depth meetings coverage here. UN News app users can go here.
The humanitarian crisis across the Gaza Strip remains extremely serious, with harsh winter weather threatening to reverse recent gains in aid delivery, the United Nations said on Monday.
Ukraine has entered the new year under intensifying and deadly Russian attacks which have crippled energy systems and left millions without heating, electricity or water amid freezing temperatures, senior UN officials told the Security Council on Monday.
Sudan’s protracted conflict has spiralled into one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with hunger, displacement and the collapse of basic services exacting a daily toll on civilians.
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Aid agencies marked 1,000 days of war in Sudan on Friday with a grim reminder that the conflict has created the world’s biggest hunger crisis and largest displacement emergency. Every day, civilians have been “paying the price for a war they did not choose”, said UN aid coordination office, OCHA.
UN agencies are supporting efforts on Friday to keep energy services up and running in Ukraine, and families warm amid freezing winter temperatures, following a large-scale overnight attack.
Despite reductions in the overall number of conflict-related incidents in South Sudan, a rise in abductions and sexual violence is concerning, the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, UNMISS, said on Friday.
The UN has raised serious concerns ahead of Uganda’s elections scheduled for 15 January, warning they will take place in an environment marked by widespread repression, intimidation and shrinking civic space.
Progress continues to be made towards eliminating remnants of the chemical weapons programme in Syria that was developed under the Assad regime, the UN Security Council heard on Thursday.
An independent human rights expert has urged the international community to reject the electoral process organised by Myanmar’s military government, after the first round of voting revealed widespread coercion, exclusion and violence.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres continues to be gravely alarmed by escalating hostilities in Aleppo, Syria, and mounting reports of civilian casualties, his Spokesperson said on Thursday.
Several parts of Ukraine were hit by a new wave of Russian strikes between Wednesday and Thursday morning.
At least five civilians have been killed and some 30,000 people displaced following renewed fighting in Aleppo, Syria, prompting calls from the UN for immediate de-escalation and a return to political talks.
Almost four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, aid teams continue to adapt to the lethal reality of working in a modern war zone.
Some two decades after a shaky political transition, Iraq today is a country “at peace, with increased security and a clear determination to win the battle of development,” says the UN resident coordinator for Iraq on Wednesday.
Responding to the seizure of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro by the United States, UN human rights chief Volker Türk on Tuesday reiterated deep concerns that the military operation undermined fundamental protections for sovereign countries.
Thirteen more lives – including children – were reportedly lost on Tuesday in another drone attack on Sudan’s North Kordofan region.
Thousands of displaced people in northern Syria are struggling to cope with freezing conditions after a severe snowstorm struck dozens of displacement sites, the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) said on Tuesday.
The Security Council met in emergency session in New York to address the US rendition of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro from Caracas, a move that has sent shockwaves through the region and beyond. The UN chief António Guterres told ambassadors there must be respect for national sovereignty, “political independence and territorial integrity,” after warning on Saturday that the US had set a “dangerous precedent” for the world order. Follow the historic meeting live below from the UN Meetings Coverage team, and UN News app users can click here.
Invoking the bedrock principle prohibiting the use of force against the territory and independence of any State, the UN Secretary-General told the Security Council on Monday there must be “full respect” for the UN Charter, in the face of the United States military intervention in Venezuela and seizure of President Nicolás Maduro.
In Sudan, civilians continue to bear the brunt of escalating violence, particularly in the Darfur and Kordofan regions.
As protests in the Iranian capital, Tehran – sparked by increasing economic hardship and a cost-of-living crisis – continued for a ninth day, the UN Secretary-General said he was “deeply saddened by the reported loss of life and injuries,” resulting from clashes between security forces and protesters.
The UN Security Council met on Monday against a sharply altered diplomatic backdrop, following US strikes on the Venezuelan capital and seizure of President Nicolás Maduro.
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said he is “deeply alarmed” over the standoff between the United States and Venezuela in recent months, which culminated on Saturday morning in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro by US special forces.
A teenage Haitian girl who was forced to flee her home in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, due to gang violence has urged adults not to “give up on children.”
Humanitarian partners in the Gaza Strip are struggling to reach hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people as winter storms batter damaged homes and temporary shelters.
From deploying peacekeepers to conducting quiet – but at times heated – diplomacy, the UN Security Council sits at the heart of global decision-making on war and peace. As of January, five new countries will have a seat around the iconic horseshoe table.
As 2026 begins, residents of the Gaza Strip are confronting life in displacement camps and among the ruins of destroyed neighbourhoods – facing deep uncertainty after months of war and devastation.
Voting proceeded largely as planned in the Central African Republic’s first-ever combined presidential, legislative, regional and municipal elections, and ballot counting is now complete, the UN peacekeeping mission (MINUSCA) said on Wednesday, with results expected to be announced on 5 January.
Recent attacks across Ukraine have killed civilians, damaged critical infrastructure and cut heating and power supplies for millions, UN humanitarians report, as temperatures drop below freezing.
The UN Secretary-General has condemned amendments adopted by Israel’s Knesset to a law aimed at ceasing the operations of the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (UNRWA), saying the measures must be immediately repealed.
A sixth child has died in Gaza this month as the enclave’s people continue to endure dire living conditions linked to freezing rains and the Israel-Hamas war, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced. The development comes as aid agencies urged Israeli authorities to reconsider revoking the licences of dozens of humanitarian partners that provide assistance across the devastated enclave from 1 January.
Sudan’s deepening war is driving unprecedented levels of hunger, child malnutrition and displacement, UN agencies report, as new data from Darfur and a renewed refugee influx into Chad underscore the rapidly deteriorating situation.
Sexual violence against children has become entrenched, systemic and increasingly widespread across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with new data showing a sharp rise in cases since 2022, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen.
On 26 December, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced Israel’s official recognition of “Somaliland” as an independent and sovereign state.
Subsequently, on the same day, “Somaliland” issued a statement welcoming what it termed a “historic and principled” decision by the State of Israel to officially recognize what it described as its sovereignty and independence. The statement noted that the recognition represented a milestone in “Somaliland’s” longstanding pursuit of international legitimacy, and what it asserted its historical, legal, and moral entitlement to statehood. Moreover, the statement affirmed that the recognition gave rise to the establishment of full diplomatic relations between “Somaliland” and the State of Israel and will proceed to deepen cooperation across a broad range of sectors.
Mr. President,
In response to these developments, the Federal Government of Somalia issued a statement reaffirming its absolute and non-negotiable commitment to its sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity as enshrined in the Provisional Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitutive Act of the African Union. The Federal Government of Somalia further stated that it categorically and unequivocally rejected what it characterized as a deliberate attack on its sovereignty.
The Somali statement further noted that no external actor has the authority or standing to alter its unity or territorial configuration. Therefore, according to the statement, Somalia considers any declaration, recognition, or arrangement that seeks to undermine this reality to be null and void and without any legal or political effect under international law.
In its statement, Somalia also underscored that it would not permit the establishment of any foreign military bases or arrangement that would draw the country into proxy conflicts or import regional and international hostilities into this region. The Federal Government of Somalia warned that actions of this nature seriously undermined regional peace and stability and exacerbated tensions in the region.
On 27 December, a joint session of Somalia’s two Houses of Parliament also condemned and rejected what it termed the “unlawful” recognition of “Somaliland” by Israel. In a statement, the parliament further noted that “any recognition by Israel or any other country is null and void, without legal basis, and has no international legal effect.”
Mr. President,
Israel’s announcement prompted widespread reactions from the region and beyond, including from Egypt, Jordan, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, among others, as well as a joint statement by 20 Middle Eastern and African countries rejecting and condemning Israel’s recognition of “Somaliland”. Several regional organizations have issued similar statements stating the importance of respecting the unity, the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia, including the League of Arab States, the Eastern African Community, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the European Union. The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, on 26 December, rejected any recognition of “Somaliland” and reaffirmed the African Union’s unwavering commitment to the unity and sovereignty of Somalia. The Chairperson of the Commission further noted that any attempt to undermine the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Somalia runs counter to the fundamental principles of the African Union and risks setting a dangerous precedent with far-reaching implications for peace and stability across the continent.
In closing, Mr. President, I would like to recall, as has the Secretary-General, that the Security Council has repeatedly affirmed the respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and unity of Somalia, as most recently reaffirmed in resolution 2809 (2025) of 23 December 2025. I also call on Somali stakeholders to engage in peaceful and constructive dialogue, in particular recalling the 2023 Djibouti Communique on talks between the Federal Government of Somalia and “Somaliland”.
I thank you.
As the world enters 2026 amid mounting crises, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a stark but hopeful New Year appeal, urging global leaders to shift resources away from destruction and towards development, peace and people.
The UN Security Council meets today to hear a briefing on threats to international peace and security following Israel’s recent recognition of the northern region of Somalia as an independent and sovereign state. Follow live below and UN News app users can click here and go here for all our in-depth meeting coverage.
