Russian Vetoes On North Korea, Syria And Other Big Security Council Resolutions

In a bid to stall the U.S.'s efforts to stop North Korea from conducting further nuclear tests, Russia has objected to a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) statement proposed by the U.S., Wednesday, that would have condemned North Korea’s missile tests, despite China’s support of the measure, reports said.

North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests so far and analysts have pointed out last week that the country's nuclear test site was "primed and ready" for a sixth. However, the launch of a missile Sunday was said to have failed, CNN reported.

Read: US Strategic Patience Policy Toward North Korea Is Over, Says Mike Pence

Russia has had a long history of vetoing resolutions pushed by the U.S. And last week, it used its veto to block yet another attempt to condemn the suspected chemical attack in Syria on April 4. The U.S., France and Britain had sponsored a draft resolution that would have initiated an investigation into the Syrian attack. The resolution won 10 votes, but Russia vetoed it and China abstained, reports said. This veto used by Russia was the eighth time since it used its power, often along with China, to block a UN draft resolution on Syria since the civil war began six years back.

On Oct. 4, 2011, for the first time after the civil war began in Syria, a UNSC resolution was initiated where the council had drafted a statement expressing its grave concern at the situation in the war-torn country. It also said the only solution to the crisis was "through an inclusive and Syrian-led political process with the aim of effectively addressing the legitimate aspirations and concerns of the population." However, Russia and China had vetoed the resolution.

On Feb. 4, 2012, Russia and China again vetoed, blocking a resolution which expressed "grave concern at the deterioration of the situation in Syria," and "profound concern at the death of thousands of people..." calling for an immediate end to all violence.

On July 19, 2012, Russia and China again voted against a draft resolution that condemned widespread violations of human rights by the Syrian authorities, and armed opposition groups."

On July 8, 2015, Russia vetoed a UNSC resolution that would have described the Srebrenica massacre during the Bosnian war in 1995, as "genocide".

In October last year, when President of Syria, Bashar Assad's forces descended on the rebel-held city of Aleppo, the UNSC tried to register "outrage at the alarming number of civilian casualties caused by escalating level of violence and indiscriminate aerial bombings in Aleppo," but Russia was the only member to veto the draft.

On Feb. 28, China and Russia blocked a draft resolution, that asked members to vote on the imposition of sanctions on entities and individuals who were likely to be involved in the production or use of chemical weapons in Syria.