Olena Zelenska tells UN Russia must be held accountable for crimes

Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska called for Russia to be held accountable for human rights violations in the Ukraine war in a video address before the United Nations on Wednesday.

"Ukraine's victory will mean the victory of human rights over lawlessness, torture and destruction. Therefore, justice for Ukraine is justice for the entire world," President Volodymyr Zelensky's wife told the UN delegates.

Zelenska's video message was made at a side event on human rights in the conflict. Later in the day, the General Assembly was also scheduled to meet in New York to mark the anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Zelenska spoke forcefully about the bombings of civilians, the rapes of women and also the deportation of what she said were 16,000 children to Russia.

"What from what we know they have been given to the Russian families and they're trying to erase their memory about their origin," she said.

Prosecutors have documented about 150 rapes committed by the Russian invaders, but these are only cases in which the victims found the strength to testify.

During the speech, images of Ukrainian ruins after Russian shelling were shown.