Why Russia was suspended from UN rights council

The UN General Assembly has voted to suspend Russia from the world organization's leading human rights body - the United Nations Human Rights Council or UNHRC. This is over allegations of rights violations by Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

The US-initiated resolution suspending Russia passed 93-24 with 58 abstentions. China voted against it, while India abstained. The 47 members of the UNHRC are elected by members of the UNGA. A two-third vote is needed in the General Assembly for removing a member.

The move came after videos and photos from the Ukrainian town of Bucha, which was in Russian hands for a few days, showed the streets strewn with bodies of civilians. Reports said evidence suggested torture and coldblooded murder of civilians. Ukraine has warned more horrific evidence could be unearthed in the next few days as the Russian troops withdraw. Russia has denied the allegations

Ukraine thanked the world body for the action against Russia. Russia's deputy ambassador, Gennady Kuzmin called it "an illegitimate and politically motivated step" by a group of countries with "short-term political and economic interests". The Geneva-based organisation is tasked with spotlighting and approving investigations of rights violations

Russia is only the second country to have its membership rights stripped at the UNHRC. In 2011, Libya was suspended by the assembly following the violence that brought down longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi.