Russia vetoes UN resolution to stop bombing of Aleppo

Vitaly Churkin, top right, the Russian ambassador to the UN, 
and Rafael Ramírez Carreno, lower left, of Venezuela vote against 
a France-drafted security council resolution on Syria.

China abstained, further isolating Russia on the issue, along with Angola. Venezuela was the only other country to vote with Russia against the resolution. A Russian counter-resolution, which omitted mention of aerial bombardment, was voted down with nine votes against and four in favour. The bitter divisions in the council, which faces a high and rapidly rising death toll in eastern Aleppo, produced a heated but fruitless debate that saw some of the normal diplomatic niceties abandoned. More…