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🇫🇷 France /Conflict & Security

Ukraine war: UN 'horrified' by alleged use of deadly Russian autonomous drone

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News From a news agency Ongoing story
  • UN rights chief Volker Türk said he was “horrified” by reports that Russian autonomous drones killed three Ukrainians in July.
  • Reports differ over the number of people killed and the type of drone involved in the alleged strike in Zaporizhzhia.
  • Türk called for an urgent ban on weapons capable of killing without human intervention, as countries work on rules for autonomous weapons.

The United Nations said it was “horrified” by reports that a fully autonomous Russian drone killed Ukrainians in an attack last month, while also saying Ukraine may have tested similar weapons in the field.

I am horrified by reports that fully autonomous drones launched by the Russian Federation killed three Ukrainians last month.

· Volker TürkThe UN human rights chief addressed the alleged Russian drone strike before the UN Human Rights Council.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk made the remarks on September 7 before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. “I am horrified by reports that fully autonomous drones launched by the Russian Federation killed three Ukrainians last month,” he said.

The New York Times reported on August 24 that an autonomous Russian drone using artificial intelligence allegedly killed three people on July 6 in Zaporizhzhia. The newspaper said the drone had been intended to strike a petrol station but autonomously selected a specific target, probably propane tanks. The Guardian reported one death and identified the weapon as a Molniya drone.

Ukraine may also have conducted field tests of such weapons.

· Volker TürkTürk said Ukraine may also have tested autonomous weapons in the field.

The reports have renewed pressure from international organizations and non-governmental groups to regulate lethal autonomous weapons, often called “killer robots.” Türk backed calls for an urgent ban on weapons that can kill without human intervention. UN and International Committee of the Red Cross leaders had warned on August 25 that such systems could soon cross a “moral red line” by allowing machines to decide whether humans should die.

I join calls for an urgent ban on weapons capable of killing without human intervention.

· Volker TürkHe called for international action against lethal autonomous weapons.

At a UN meeting on Saturday, 128 countries agreed on a report defining autonomous weapons. States are due to decide on the matter in November. UN disarmament officials have stressed that artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons are not identical: AI can be incorporated into an autonomous weapons system, but is not itself an autonomous weapon.

cross a moral red line

· UN and International Committee of the Red Cross leadersThe organizations warned that autonomous weapons could allow machines to decide whether humans should die.
About this summary

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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