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February 6, 2026 Peace and security

Last weekend, Ukraine's power grid was attacked again, leading to serious consequences for the operation of nuclear power plants, according to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi.

According to him, power lines connecting Ukraine with neighboring countries were shut down, causing a cascading outage of domestic power lines. As a result, one of the power units at one nuclear power plant was disconnected from the grid due to voltage fluctuations and automatically shut down. Power units at other nuclear power plants were forced to reduce their output.

The Chernobyl site experienced a complete loss of external power supply, and the facility operated on emergency diesel generators for approximately one hour.

Grossi stressed that such incidents are "a stark reminder of the ongoing risks to nuclear safety… arising from the deteriorating state of the electrical grid."

"To improve the reliability of power supply to Ukrainian nuclear power plants and strengthen their resilience to future disruptions, large-scale repairs are necessary," the IAEA chief added.

He again called for maximum restraint and full compliance seven principles of nuclear safetyto ensure that these works can be carried out.

IAEA missions to critical sites

Amid intensifying fighting, three IAEA expert teams are visiting ten substations critical to nuclear safety. The goal of the two-week mission is to assess the damage to the power grid and the progress of restoration efforts, as well as identify practical measures to improve the resilience of external power supplies.

One of the groups also visited Kyiv, where further IAEA support for the operation of nuclear power plants in the context of declining energy system stability was discussed.

This is the second such mission in the last two months: the previous one, in December 2025, recorded the cumulative impact of damage to the power grid on the operation of nuclear power plants and the working conditions of personnel.

Other incidents

The IAEA also reports additional signs of reduced power grid stability at the Chernobyl site, documented in late January. The agency's team was informed that on Friday, January 23, diesel generators at the New Containment Facility and the Interim Dry Storage Facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel unexpectedly started due to fluctuations in the power grid. Within minutes, the generators were manually switched to standby mode.

"This once again highlights the impact that military action involving the power grid can have on security systems," Grossi said.

Earlier last week, 44 unmanned aerial vehicles were spotted in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant's monitoring zone. On Tuesday, the IAEA team at the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant was forced to take refuge in a hotel after spotting two drones in the plant's monitoring zone. Six more drones were spotted there during the week.

Over the past two weeks, the rotation of IAEA staff at the Khmelnytskyi and South Ukraine NPPs has proceeded safely, Grossi reported.

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February 6, 2026 Human rights

Female genital mutilation violates the human rights to life, health, and bodily integrity and causes irreparable harm to more than 230 million women and girls worldwide. An additional 23 million girls are at risk of suffering from this practice in the near future.

About this in International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation the UN Secretary-General recalled Antonio Guterres.

It is estimated that in 2026 alone, approximately 4.5 million girls, many of them under five years old, may be subjected to the procedure, sometimes known as female genital mutilation.

Serious consequences

"This custom is rooted in the same gender biases that limit girls' access to education, restrict women's employment opportunities, and limit their participation in public life," the UN chief said in his message. "The world has committed to ending this dangerous practice by 2030."

The heads of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), UN Women, the World Health Organization, UNESCO, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stressed in a joint statement that female genital mutilation cannot be justified under any circumstances.

This practice causes serious harm to the physical and mental health of girls and women, leads to severe lifelong complications, and the annual cost of their treatment is estimated at approximately $1.4 billion.

There is progress, but it is not enough.

As the statement notes, efforts to eradicate female genital mutilation have begun to yield results over the past three decades. Nearly two-thirds of the population in countries where the practice is widespread now support its elimination. Since 1990, in countries and regions where female genital mutilation is practiced, the proportion of girls undergoing the procedure has decreased from one in two to one in three.

However, the UN emphasizes that this is still not enough to achieve the goal. Sustainable Development Agenda – complete cessation of mutilating surgeries by 2030.

Investments bring huge returns

UN agencies note that effective solutions are well known. These include health education, the engagement of religious and community leaders, parents, and health workers, and the use of traditional and social media. Supporting grassroots initiatives, including youth and community networks, is particularly important.

Equally important is assistance to victims – access to medical care, psychosocial support and legal services tailored to the specific context.

According to the UN, every dollar invested in the fight against FGM yields a tenfold return. An investment of $2.8 billion could prevent 20 million cases of female genital mutilation and generate economic returns of $28 billion.

Risk of rollback

As 2030 approaches, the gains of recent decades are under threat. Funding cuts are already limiting prevention and support options for those affected.

Of additional concern is the growing arguments for the so-called "medicalization" of FGM—attempts to justify its performance by medical professionals, ostensibly to reduce harm. The UN emphasizes that such approaches create new obstacles to the complete elimination of the practice.

Without sustainable and predictable funding, there is a risk of community-based programmes being scaled back, primary services being weakened and progress being lost.

“Getting to zero will require sustained political commitment – and continued investment,” António Guterres stressed.

The UN reaffirms its commitment to working with local and international partners – public and private – to end this practice once and for all.

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February 5, 2026 Peace and security

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Thursday that dozens of people were killed and injured in Gaza over the past 24 hours. Emergency services are unable to reach all the victims due to ongoing fighting and restrictions on movement.

Speaking at a briefing in New York, the UN spokesman recalled that all parties are obliged to comply with international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Last night, UN humanitarian teams received another 25 people who returned to the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing. As in previous days, UNDP staff took them to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. OCHA and partner organizations continue to work in the reception area, where psychologists, medical professionals, and other humanitarian workers are providing support to the returnees.

Medical evacuation

Yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners organized a medical evacuation of eight patients and 17 accompanying persons from Gaza to Egypt via the Rafah Port. This morning, another evacuation was carried out – seven patients and 14 accompanying persons.

WHO representatives stated that the key priority remains ensuring increased humanitarian access to Gaza, accelerating the restoration of damaged medical facilities, and expanding critical services. These measures, the organization emphasized, are necessary to strengthen the healthcare system and reduce the need for evacuations.

The UN also reiterated its call for the immediate resumption of medical evacuations to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. More than 18,500 patients in Gaza require specialized care that is unavailable within the Strip.

Rising Violence and Displacement in the West Bank

According to OCHA, high levels of forced displacement remain in the West Bank. Since the beginning of 2026, more than 900 Palestinians have fled their homes or communities, primarily due to settler violence, access restrictions, and demolitions.

In just two weeks – from January 20 to February 2 – OCHA documented more than 50 attacks by Israeli settlers resulting in casualties and damage to property.

Humanitarian teams are conducting preliminary damage assessments to determine the required level of assistance and adjust the response of the UN and partner organizations.

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February 5, 2026 Peace and security

Political solutions form the basis of sustainable peace, said UN Deputy Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix, speaking at a Security Council meeting on the role of the police component in peacekeeping operations.

"United Nations police play a key role in supporting political processes, building the capacity of police and other law enforcement institutions in host countries, and promoting trust between communities and the State," he said.

The UN Deputy Peacekeeping Chief's remarks came amid the final stages of a comprehensive review of UN peacekeeping operations, initiated by the Secretary-General in accordance with the Pact for the Future. According to Lacroix, this process should lead to the development of a future-oriented peacekeeping model capable of functioning in an increasingly complex and volatile security environment.

He also recalled the liquidity crisis facing the UN. This has forced the organization to implement extensive cost-cutting measures, including cutting civilian personnel and withdrawing military and police contingents from UN peacekeeping missions, which directly impacts the ability of these missions to fulfill their missions, including the protection of civilians.

Lacroix stressed that stable funding is necessary to improve the effectiveness of missions.

The UN Deputy Chief of Staff paid special attention to the interaction between peacekeepers and the population in countries where the Organization's operations are deployed. According to Lacroix, community-focused and information-driven approaches to peacekeeping policing enhance mission effectiveness while simultaneously promoting personnel safety.

UN police, he said, also play an important role in countering disinformation, misinformation and hate speech through ongoing engagement with local communities.

Lacroix recalled that police personnel continue to operate in a context of political instability and growing operational risks, and called for renewed collective political support for peacekeeping.

"We must ensure that [mission] mandates are supported by adequate resources. We must maintain unified political support for peacekeeping," the Deputy Secretary-General said.

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February 5, 2026 Peace and security

Acute malnutrition among children in parts of North Darfur and Kordofan, Sudan, has reached catastrophic levels. Amid ongoing conflict, mass displacement, and restrictions on humanitarian aid, the country is rapidly approaching a state of mass famine.

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), acute malnutrition thresholds were exceeded in two districts of North Darfur – Um Baru and Kernoy. This occurred following the fall of the regional capital, El Fasher, in October 2025 and the mass exodus of the population.

Assessments conducted in December found acute malnutrition rates among children in Um Baru at 52.9 percent and approximately 34 percent in Kernoy. According to the IPC, famine has not yet occurred, but conditions are rapidly deteriorating and urgent action is needed.

Increased risk of mortality

"These alarming figures indicate an elevated risk of mortality," the experts said, adding that many other areas of the country, affected by conflict or inaccessible to humanitarian organizations, could face equally catastrophic conditions.

Um Baru and Kernoy are located in remote areas of North Darfur, near key displacement routes toward the border with Chad. Both areas have received large numbers of civilians fleeing the fighting in and around El Fasher.

Consequences of the conflict

The war in Sudan, which began in April 2023 between the previously allied Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Intervention Forces, has devastated food systems across the country, causing massive displacement and cyclical disruptions to health, water, and nutrition services.

In 2026, Sudan is expected to experience approximately 4.2 million cases of acute malnutrition, including more than 800,000 cases of severe malnutrition, a sharp increase from 2025.

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February 5, 2026 UN

The top news of the day at the UN and around the world: the UN commented on the expiration of the last nuclear arms control treaty between the US and Russia, the evacuation of civilians from frontline areas of Ukraine continues, the UN chief condemned the terrorist attack in Nigeria, and the US allocated $5.88 billion to fight HIV/AIDS worldwide.

START-3 Treaty

The United States and Russia are close to an agreement to continue to comply with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, known as New START, media reported today. It expired at midnight today. New START was the last nuclear arms control agreement in force between Russia and the United States. The UN hopes that negotiations on continued compliance will be positive and fruitful, UN Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said in response to a reporter's question.

Evacuation from frontline areas of Ukraine

According to UN humanitarian agencies, civilians were killed and wounded yesterday in an attack on an open market in the town of Druzhkivka in Ukraine's Donetsk region. Evacuations continue in frontline areas: 6,000 people were evacuated from the Donetsk region in January alone. Edem Wosornu, a representative of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), visited a transit point in Lozova, Kharkiv region, where evacuees are being received. They are receiving essential items, medicine, and financial assistance.

Terrorist attack in Nigeria

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Guterres strongly condemned the terrorist attack on February 3 in Kwara State, Nigeria, which reportedly killed more than 100 people. The UN chief expresses his condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to the wounded. Guterres emphasized the UN's support for Nigeria in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. He called for those responsible to be held accountable.

The United States and the Fight Against AIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) welcomed the US decision to commit $5.88 billion to the fight against the disease. UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima emphasized that these funds will ensure assistance to millions of people worldwide. For more than two decades, Byanyima noted, US investments have been the leading driver of global progress in the fight against AIDS, saving millions of lives.

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February 5, 2026 Healthcare

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) commended the signing of a new $5.88 billion funding package in the United States. This decision reaffirms the United States' continued role as a key leader in the global fight against HIV, UNAIDS stated.

US President Donald Trump signed the bill into law on February 3. The document allocates $4.6 billion to support HIV programs under the America First Global Health strategy, $1.25 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and $45 million to support UNAIDS.

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima thanked the US President and Congress for their continued support for global health, emphasizing that American investments will ensure life-saving assistance for millions of people around the world and will help maintain the effectiveness and efficiency of the global HIV response.

The new law advances the implementation of the America First Global Health strategy, which aligns with UNAIDS' commitment to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 and accelerates the U.S.'s strategic transition to a more independent response to HIV. For more than two decades, American investments have been the leading driver of global progress, saving millions of lives and supporting countries in their fight against the epidemic, the program noted.

UNAIDS pledged to maximize the effectiveness of its funding by providing technical expertise, data, and strategic support to countries and communities, and by working closely with the US Government, the Global Fund, and national partners. The US has remained a key partner since UNAIDS's founding in 1996, the organization noted.

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February 5, 2026 Human rights

On Thursday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk launched a campaign to raise $400 million by 2026 to address global human rights challenges. He warned that, amid mounting crises, the world cannot afford a human rights crisis.

"The cost of our work is small; the human cost of underinvestment is immeasurable," Türk told government representatives at the campaign's launch.

“In times of conflict and in times of peace, we offer a lifeline to those subjected to violence, a voice to the silenced, and a trusted ally to those who risk everything to defend the rights of others,” he added.

Last year's results

In 2025, UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) staff in 87 countries monitored more than 1,300 trials, supported 67,000 torture survivors, documented tens of thousands of violations, and facilitated the release of more than 4,000 people from arbitrary detention.

Türk also emphasized that eliminating inequalities and upholding economic and social rights are essential for peace and stability. In 2025, the Office collaborated with more than 35 governments on aligning economic policies with human rights standards. For example, in Djibouti, OHCHR assisted in conducting a health budget analysis, paying particular attention to the needs of people with disabilities. The Office also shared important research findings on human rights with numerous UN country teams working on sustainable development.

Consequences of funding cuts

As a result funding cuts In 2025, the Office was able to conduct only 5,000 human rights monitoring missions, compared to 11,000 in 2024. The program in Myanmar was cut by more than 60 percent. In Honduras, support for the demilitarization of the prison system, as well as justice and security sector reforms, was reduced. In Chad, support for nearly 600 prisoners held without legal basis had to be cut.

"Our reports provide reliable information on human rights crimes and trends at a time when the truth is obscured by disinformation and censorship. They serve as the basis for discussions in both the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council, and are widely cited by international courts, providing crucial evidence for accountability," the High Commissioner noted.

The liquidity crisis also significantly impacted the functioning of the entire human rights ecosystem. Specifically, 35 planned dialogues between UN human rights treaty bodies and States did not take place. Four of the eight planned country visits by the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture were cancelled. UN Special Rapporteurs and the investigative mechanisms of the Human Rights Council were unable to fully carry out their mandates.

The High Commissioner also noted with regret that the Office had lost some 300 staff out of 2,000 and had been forced to close or drastically reduce its presence in 17 countries, ending programmes vital to threatened, vulnerable or marginalized communities – from Colombia and Guinea-Bissau to Tajikistan.

According to Türk, this weakens the concept of "protection through presence," which suggests that the physical presence of human rights officers on the ground deters violations and reduces damage.

Voluntary contributions

In 2025, the Office's approved regular budget was $246 million, but only $191.5 million was received. An additional $500 million in voluntary contributions was requested, of which donors provided only $257.8 million.

The head of the Human Rights Office thanked 113 partners – governments, multilateral donors, and private entities – who contributed to the 2025 budget and helped save and improve lives.

For 2026, the UN General Assembly approved OHCHR's regular budget of $224.3 million, funded by assessed contributions from Member States. This amount is 10 percent lower than in 2025, and uncertainty remains regarding the actual funding the Office will receive.

As part of the 2026 campaign, the Office is requesting an additional $400 million in voluntary contributions.

"Human rights have historically accounted for a very small share of UN expenditures. We need to increase support for this low-cost, high-impact work that helps stabilize communities, build trust in institutions, and sustain peace," the High Commissioner emphasized.

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February 5, 2026 Peace and security

For the first time in more than half a century, we live in a world in which there are no binding limits on the strategic nuclear arsenals of Russia and the United States – the two states with the largest stockpiles of nuclear weapons.

The UN Secretary-General made this statement on the occasion of the expiration of the New START Treaty on February 5. Antonio Guterres.

Throughout the Cold War and beyond, the nuclear arms control regime agreed upon by the two governments helped prevent catastrophe, the UN chief noted.

"It promoted stability and, in combination with other measures, prevented dangerous miscalculations. Most importantly, it contributed to the reduction of national nuclear arsenals by thousands of nuclear weapons," Guterres said.

The Secretary-General recalled that the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, known as New START, expired at a time when the risk of nuclear weapons use was assessed as the highest in decades.

The UN chief called for hope and the creation of an arms control regime that is appropriate to the rapidly changing context.

“I call on both countries to return to the negotiating table immediately and reach a framework agreement that restores verifiable restrictions, reduces risks, and strengthens our shared security,” he said.

Read also:

INTERVIEW | New technologies, old conflicts: nuclear disarmament is in crisis, but hope remains

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