Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations has interrupted a minute’s silence for Ukraine as members of the Security Council stood up to honour the “victims of aggression” in the war.

Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba addressed those gathered in New York before calling for the silence to be observed as a mark of respect for Ukrainians who had died.

But as representatives got to their feet, Russia’s ambassador Vasily Nebenzya repeatedly tapped his microphone.

After being given the floor to make a statement, Mr Nebenzya said: “We are getting up on our feet to remember all victims of what has happened in Ukraine, starting in 2014.

“All of those who perished, all lives are priceless.”

Mr Nebenzya was likely referring to the Russian lives which have been lost while fighting in Ukraine since Moscow’s forces invaded the country and annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

The tense moment came before Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy spoke in a news conference to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Zelenskyy told the news conference in Kyiv that China has “started talking about Ukraine” and “this is not bad”.

He added that a statement from China suggests the country respects our “territorial integrity”.

The president’s comments come as Western powers fear China will begin supplying Russia with weapons.

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