The Washington Post - USA (2022-05-27)

FRIDAY, MAY 27 , 2022. THE WASHINGTON POST EZ RE A

War in Ukraine

BY ADAM TAYLOR

The World Health Assembly on
Thursday voted in favor of a reso-
lution that condemned Russian
attacks on the health-care system
in Ukraine before rejecting a par-
allel proposal presented by Mos-
cow that Kyiv’s representative to
the United Nations in Geneva had
called a “subterfuge” that present-
ed a “twisted alternative reality”
of the conflict.
Ukraine’s successful resolu-
tion, which was backed by mem-
ber states 88-to-12 with 53 absten-
tions, raises the possibility that
Russia could be suspended from
the assembly if attacks on hospi-
tals and clinics continue. The as-
sembly is the decision-making
body of the World Health Organi-
zation, a United Nations global
health agency with a sprawling
mandate.
A counterproposal put forward

by Russia and Syria, which sug-

gested that Kyiv bears the blame

for some civilian deaths, was also

rejected on Thursday, 15-to-

with 70 abstentions. Ukrainian

diplomats have accused Russia of

copying the language that con-

demned an “ongoing health emer-

gency in and around Ukraine”

while stripping any language that

said Russia was to blame.

Russian diplomats speaking at

the assembly accused Ukraine of

trying to use a traditionally apo-

litical forum to settle scores. Vasi-

ly Nebenzya, permanent repre-

sentative of Russia to the United

Nations, told the assembly that it

was unacceptable to use the WHO

to “stigmatize one country.”

Kyiv and its allies argued that

the assembly was the place to

discuss the health-care impact of

the conflict, pointing not only to

reports of Russian strikes on med-

ical facilities but also to the risk of

famine around the world due to

the allegedly deliberate blocking

of Ukrainian ports.

“War is a health issue,” Simon

Manley, Britain’s representative

to the United Nations in Geneva,

said. “Health for peace. Peace for

health. The World Health Assem-

bly must not be afraid to address

health crises, including the cause

and, in this case, the aggressor.”

The dueling votes at the annual

assembly in Geneva were the lat-

est blow to Russia’s standing in

international organizations since

it invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Two U.N. General Assembly reso-

lutions passed in March censured

Russia for its aggression, and the

country was suspended from the

U.N. Human Rights Council on

April 7.

A separate vote of European

WHO member states at a regional

meeting on May 10 had pushed

the U.N. agency to take a harder

stance on Russia during the war

and called on WHO officials to

consider closing an office in Mos-

cow.

The conflict has taken a huge

toll on Ukraine’s health-care sec-

tor. In a report released by the

WHO on Thursday, the organiza-

tion said it had recorded 256

attacks on health facilities and

personnel during the war, result-

ing in 59 reported injuries and

75 reported deaths. In total, 3,

civilian deaths had been recorded

since the invasion began.

Ukraine’s successful vote at the

World Health Assembly, the top

global health event of the year,

may not carry with it immediate

repercussions for Russia. Howev-

er, it pointed to references in the

WHO constitution that allowed

the stripping of voting rights and

other rights and benefits.

It was another reminder of how

isolated Moscow is on the world

stage and offered its many critics

a chance to condemn the impact

the war was having inside and

outside Ukraine. Ukraine’s draft

resolution had been co-sponsored

by more than 40 other countries,

including the United States and

all European Union nations ex-

cept Hungary.

“The devastating military ac-

tions undermine the efforts to

ensure health and well-being for

everybody [and] undermine the

mission of WHO,” Polish Health

Minister Adam Niedzielski told

the assembly. “I believe the or-

ganization cannot remain silent

in these cases.”

Yevheniia Filipenko, perma-

nent representative of Ukraine to

the U.N. in Geneva, said that “in

voting down Russia’s draft the

World Health Assembly con-

firmed that the responsibility for

the health crisis in Ukraine rests

exclusively with the Russian Fed-

eration.”

But some nations, without sup-

porting Russia, expressed con-

cern about condemning a single

nation at the assembly. The num-

ber of abstentions in both votes

was relatively high.

The suspension of a member’s

voting rights would be extremely

unusual, though not unprec-

edented: The WHO stripped

South Africa of its voting rights in

1964 after it codified its apartheid

policy of racial segregation. It did

not return the rights until after

apartheid ended 30 years later.

Earlier this month, Russia’s

State Duma, the lower house of

parliament, said it was consider-

ing a Russian withdrawal from

both the WHO and the World

Trade Organization. Pyotr Tol-

stoy, the deputy chairman of the

State Duma, said the two organi-

zations had “neglected all obliga-

tions in relation to our country.”

WHO members condemn Russia, warn its voting rights could be stripped

BY RACHEL PANNETT

During World War II, motorcy-
cles were widely used by militar-
ies to conduct reconnaissance
missions. Japanese forces took to
pedal-powered bicycles during
the conflict’s Malayan campaign,
using them to outmaneuver Brit-
ish troops moving more slowly
on foot — in what became known
as the “Bicycle Blitzkrieg.”
Now, Ukrainian fighters are
using electric bikes in the battle
against Russia, mostly in support
of reconnaissance missions, de-
mining operations and medical
deliveries, according to one of

the Ukrainian e-bike makers in-

volved. They’ve reportedly also

been used for carrying out sniper

attacks. The bikes have a top

speed of 55 miles per hour and

are relatively silent — helping

their riders evade Russian fire.

Ukrainian e-bike firm Eleek

initially gave a few bikes to the

military when the war began,

according to manager Roman

Kulchytskyi. Soon after, they be-

gan to mass-produce bikes —

kitted out in military green, with

a small Ukrainian flag on the rear

wheel — for Ukraine’s fighters.

“When the war started, we

were shocked at first.... Every-

one was worried and thought

about what to do,” Kulchytskyi

told The Washington Post. “But

we all rallied.”

Working from a bomb shelter,

Eleek began making a power

bank based on lithium-ion bat-

tery cells it had left in stock. After

struggling for parts, it turned to

electronic cigarettes — launch-

ing a social media campaign to

get people to send in their devic-

es.

The military version of the

bike was stripped down to re-

move parts such as mirrors and

rotating lights that were consid-

ered unnecessary for trail riding.

The company added footrests for

passengers, improved the charg-

ing time, installed a battery con-

trol system and included a 220V

output that allows soldiers to

charge gadgets and can help

power Starlink satellite Internet

terminals, Kulchytskyi said.

The bikes, which are fitted

with relatively fat tires, are par-

ticularly useful in forested areas

where riders can carve their own

paths along unsealed trails. They

weigh about 140 pounds — light

compared with motorbikes — but

can carry relatively heavy loads.

One video posted on social media

showed an armed Ukrainian

fighter zipping along a road on

an e-bike, apparently traveling as

fast as an accompanying vehicle.

Another advantage of the

bikes is that they may not be

visible on thermal imaging sys-

tems, which are used to detect

differences in temperature and

help militaries pinpoint poten-

tial targets. That’s because the

electric motor doesn’t heat up

like an internal combustion en-

gine, Kulchytskyi said.

Daniel Tonkopi, founder of

e-bike company Delfast, wrote on

Facebook this month that his

California-based firm has been

donating electric bikes to the

Ukrainian army since the war

broke out.

He included pictures of the

bikes carrying antitank weapons

and said he had received feed-

back from the military that they

planned to use the bikes to target

Russian armored vehicles. Dur-

ing one recent mission, they

recounted to him that several

vehicles came back with holes

but that the riders were intact.

Ukraine’s armed forces didn’t

respond to a request for com-

ment on the program.

A Delfast spokeswoman said

the “primary purpose” of the

company’s e-bikes is to reduce a

user’s carbon footprint and make

transportation more sustainable.

She said Delfast hasn’t sold bikes

or made modifications to the

e-bikes to support any military

action. The company is donating

5 percent of all sales to fund

humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

Ukraine isn’t the only military

to try out e-bikes. New Zealand’s

Air Force is testing locally made

UBCO bikes for tasks such as

reconnaissance and surveillance.

Flight Sgt. Jim Reilly told an air

force publication that the bikes

made it much easier to carry out

patrols. Their relative silence

also provides service members

with “great situational aware-

ness” compared with noisy mo-

torcycles or 4x4 vehicles, he said.

Australia’s military is funding

e-bike trials for a variety of

potential combat roles. A recent

military video showed troops

from a mounted infantry unit

known as the Light Horse Regi-

ment winding through gum trees

on the bikes.

In Norway, e-bikes were tested

by border guards patrolling the

country’s boundary with Russia.

That project is on hold for now,

said Rolf K. Ytterstad, a spokes-

man for the Norwegian army,

because of problems with main-

tenance and the overall eco-

nomics of the project. “We had

good experiences with the e-

bikes,” he said.

Ukrainian fighters take to electric bikes in the war against Russia

Other militaries have

also tested them for

reconnaissance, patrol

Friday, May 27 at 9:00 a.m.

Washington Post Live’s “First Look” offers a smart, inside take on the day’s politics.

Jonathan Capehart will host a reporter debrief followed by a roundtable discussion with

Washington Post columnists.

To register to watch, visit wapo.st/firstlookmay 27 or scan code using a smartphone camera:

@POSTLIVE #POSTLIVE Listen wherever podcasts are available.

MARIANNA SOTOMAYOR

Congressional Reporter

HUGH HEWITT

Contributing Columnist

DANA MILBANK

Opinions Columnist