<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">The UN General Assembly meets Monday hours after Russia launched a deadly barrage of missile strikes at cities across Ukraine, as Western powers condemned Moscow's latest escalation of the conflict and seek to underscore its isolation.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The United Nations called the urgent meeting to discuss Russia's declared annexation of four partly-occupied Ukrainian regions, but the debate was set to be overshadowed by the attacks on Kyiv and other cities in one of the most punishing assaults on Ukraine in months.</div><div><br></div><div>Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed even more "severe" retaliation after the recent explosion that damaged a key bridge in Moscow-annexed Crimea -- an attack the Kremlin has blamed on Kyiv.</div><div><br></div><div>With Putin's actions in the spotlight, UN debate will open on a draft resolution denouncing what has been widely seen in the West as Russia's illegal seizure of Ukrainian land.</div><div><br></div><div>The decision to bring the annexation matter before the General Assembly, where the 193 UN members have one vote each -- and no one wields veto power -- was taken after Russia used its veto in a Security Council meeting September 30 to block a similar proposal.</div><div><br></div><div>The vote is expected no sooner than Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>"It's extremely important," said Olof Skoog, who, as EU ambassador to the world body, drafted the text in cooperation with Ukraine and other countries.</div><div><br></div><div>"Unless the UN system and the international community through the General Assembly react to this kind of illegal attempt, then we would be in a very, very bad place," the Swedish diplomat told reporters.</div><div><br></div><div>A failure by the General Assembly to act would give "carte blanche to other countries to do likewise or to give recognition to what Russia has done," he added.</div><div><br></div><div>A resolution draft seen by AFP condemns Russia's "attempted illegal annexations" of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson following "so-called referendums," and it stresses these actions have "no validity under international law."</div><div><br></div><div>It calls on all states, international organizations and agencies not to recognize the annexations, and demands the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.</div><div><br></div><div>In response, Russia wrote to all member states in a letter attacking "Western delegations" whose actions "have nothing to do with protection of international law and the principles of the UN Charter."</div><div><br></div><div>"They only pursue their own geopolitical objectives," said the letter, signed by Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia.</div><div><br></div><div>Nebenzia said that given the circumstances, the General Assembly should vote by secret ballot -- a highly unusual procedure normally reserved for matters like electing the rotating members of the Security Council.</div><div><br></div><div>- 'A bit of desperation' -</div><div><br></div><div>"It doesn't suggest a high degree of confidence in the outcome if Russia is seeking to obscure the vote count," a senior official in US President Joe Biden's administration told reporters. "It does suggest a bit of desperation."</div><div><br></div><div>UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres bluntly denounced the annexations.</div><div><br></div><div>"It stands against everything the international community is meant to stand for," he said.</div><div><br></div><div>"It flouts the purposes and principles of the United Nations. It is a dangerous escalation. It has no place in the modern world. It must not be accepted."</div><div><br></div><div>During last month's Security Council vote, no other country sided with Russia, though four delegations -- China, India, Brazil and Gabon -- abstained.</div><div><br></div><div>Some developing countries have complained the West is devoting all its attention to Ukraine, and others might be tempted to join them this week.</div><div><br></div><div>The vote will provide a clear picture of exactly how isolated Russia has become. Given the high stakes, backers of the draft are going all out to win over potential abstentionists.</div><div><br></div><div>"It's going to be tough," a senior European diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>