NEW DELHI: India joined its neighbours Pakistan and China along with 35 other nations that abstained on the resolution in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) reprimanding Russia for its military invasion of Ukraine. 

The third abstention in less than a week by the country in the world body on resolutions on the escalating crisis between Moscow and Kyiv.

The resolution demands that Russia 'immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.'

The 193 member UNGA also known as the world's 'town hall' voted to reaffirm its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and passed a resolution that 'deplores in the strongest terms Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

Assembly President Abdulla Shahid struggled to read the results of the vote as ambassadors began applauding, and then standing up, as he started speaking.

The resolution was adopted with 141 votes in favour, five Member States voting against and 35 abstentions. The resolution required a 2/3 majority to be adopted in the General Assembly and it broke into applause as it was adopted.

The five countries which voted against the resolution include Belarus, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (more commonly known as North Korea) Eritrea, Russia and Syria.

The voting capped off a rare special emergency session of the General Assembly that began on Monday, during which countries took to the podium to declare their positions on the crisis, now entering a second week.

The UNGA resolution was similar to the one circulated in the 15-nation Security Council last Friday, on which also India had abstained. The UNSC resolution, which received 11 votes in favour and three abstentions, was blocked after permanent member Russia exercised its veto.

Following the failure of the Council to adopt the resolution, the Security Council voted on Sunday again to convene a rare “emergency special session” of the 193-member General Assembly on the crisis. 

India again abstained on this resolution, reiterating that, “there was no other choice but to return back to the path of diplomacy and dialogue.”

The procedural resolution Sunday was adopted even though Moscow voted against it and the General Assembly then held a rare emergency special session on the Ukraine crisis Monday.