India rejects secret ballot over Russia-Ukraine conflict at UN

India has voted to reject Russia's call to hold a secret ballot at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on a draft resolution to condemn Moscow's "attempted illegal annexation" of four regions in Ukraine.

A public vote will be held now be held later this week in UNGA on Russia after its referendum in Ukrainian territories.

The UN General Assembly meeting began with a procedural vote on a measure which Russia had flagged, proposing that the Ukrainian draft resolution being debated, be voted on by secret ballot, not through a public vote.

Albania requested an open vote after Russia proposed a secret ballot on the resolution on Ukraine. India voted in favour of a procedural vote called by Albania.

A resolution condemning Russia's annexation of four Ukrainian regions was up for adoption at the UNGA, where the 193 UN members vote and no one wields a veto.

The Albanian proposal received 107 votes in favour, with 13 countries opposed to the vote and 39 abstentions. Twenty-four countries including China, Iran and Russia did not vote.

Ukraine and Russia clashed in the UNGA on October 10 ahead of the vote.

(ANI)