Ukrainian ambassador tells UN Security Council Russia's collapse is inevitable

According to Ukrinform's correspondent in New York, Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN, Andrii Melnyk, stated this on Monday during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.

Melnyk rejected Russia's claims of an alleged attack on Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's residence, which Moscow tried to use as justification for yet another massive strike on Ukraine, including the use of the Oreshnik missile.

"This so-called attack on Putin's residence is an absolute lie. Period," he said.

The diplomat compared this narrative to the provocation staged by the Nazis in Gleiwitz in 1939, which served as a pretext for Germany's invasion of Poland. According to him, the aggressor's logic remains the same: inventing a reason for war where none exists.

Melnyk noted that Russia's real aim in using the Oreshnik system was to intimidate Ukraine's partners. Commenting on Putin's claims about the missile's supposed "invulnerability," Melnyk called them absurd. Ukrainian specialists who examined the missile fragments, he said, found a gyroscope "of the very same type with which Yuri Gagarin flew into space over 60 years ago."

"The so-called 'super weapon' is little more than just a trinket," the ambassador said.

He stressed that Russia is trying to create the impression that it is invincible, but this is only smoke and mirrors concealing the true weakness of its military machine.

"Putin keeps a perfect poker face, pretending that he has an ace up his sleeve. In reality, Russia's cards are extremely weak," Melnyk said, adding that Moscow "is like a game player holding the worst possible hand," trying to bluff the international community.

A significant part of Melnyk's speech focused on Russia's economic situation, stressing that 2025 has become a turning point for its economy. Growth previously sustained by war spending and high commodity prices has effectively stalled, while the IMF forecasts only about 0.6% GDP growth for Russia in 2026.

He noted that budget revenues have fallen well short of expectations; oil and gas income has decreased by at least a quarter; and the price of Russia's Urals crude dropped to around $35 per barrel at the start of the year.

Melnyk also pointed to the Russian Central Bank's interest rate hike to over 20%, which has led to declining investment, rising corporate debt, and the risk of a banking crisis. He said Russia's National Wealth Fund has shrunk from $145 billion to about $35 billion and may be effectively exhausted this year.

The diplomat stressed the demographic consequences of the war. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has suffered more than 1.2 million troops killed and wounded, around 70% of them men aged 20 to 39. In addition, about 900,000 young, educated citizens have left the country, resulting in a labor shortage of around 6.5 million people, which could grow to 11 million by 2030.

Melnyk said that all these factors make it virtually impossible to finance a prolonged, resource-intensive war.

He stressed that it is precisely the catastrophic state of Russia's economy that is forcing the Kremlin to issue ultimatums and try to intimidate the world.

Russia now resembles the Soviet Union in its final years before collapse, Melnyk said.

"This is not an expanding superpower, but a rigid, overextended system burdened by unbearable military expenditures and internal decay," he said.

No one expected the USSR to fall apart overnight, yet it did, Melnyk said.

"Today's Russia is like a colossus with feet of clay, and it is only a matter of time before this entire house of cards collapses," he added.

"So our message to Russia is very simple and I will put it in Russian language since you have claimed that this language is being prohibited or discriminated in Ukraine," Melnyk continued. "That's it, guys, the game is over for you very soon, I think."

The UN Security Council convened on Monday to discuss Friday's Russian strike on Ukraine, including the use of the Oreshnik missile.