Russia Revokes Request to Vote on UN Resolution About Ukraine on March 18 - Envoy

"Instead, we will request an urgent meeting to discuss the issue of US biolabs in Ukraine, given the new documents that were obtained during the special military operation," Vasily Nebenzya said

Russia’s UN envoy Vasily Nebenzya AP Photo/Richard Drew

UNITED NATIONS, March 18. /TASS/. Russia is revoking a request to the UN Security Council to vote on its proposed resolution about the humanitarian situation in Ukraine that was scheduled for March 18, Russia’s UN envoy Vasily Nebenzya said in a speech at the council on Thursday.

"Colleagues from many delegations are reaching out to us and complaining about merciless pressure and arm-twisting by Western partners, including economic blackmail and threats," he said. "The US and Albania circulated a letter where they urge UN member countries not to sponsor our resolution."

"We understand how difficult it is for these countries to resist this onslaught,"

Nebenzya continued. "That’s the reason why we have decided not to request a vote on our proposal at this point, but we aren’t withdrawing the draft resolution."

"Instead, we will request an urgent meeting to discuss the issue of US biolabs in Ukraine, given the new documents that were obtained during the special military operation," the diplomat said.

Russia will send a letter with the request to the UAE presidency of the UN Security Council, Nebenzya said.

Head of the Russian Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Forces Igor Kirillov earlier said that a special military operation in Ukraine uncovered a network of more than 30 biolabs that worked under a contract with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, an agency within the US Department of Defense.