Russia has taken the presidency of the UN Security Council despite Ukraine urging members to block the move.

Each of the council's 15 members takes up the presidency for a month, on a rotating pattern.

The last time Russia had the presidency, February 2022, it launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

It means the Security Council is being led by a country whose president is subject to an international arrest warrant for alleged war crimes.

The International Criminal Court - which is not a UN institution - issued the warrant for Vladimir Putin last month.

Despite Ukraine's complaints, the United States said it could not block Russia - a permanent council member - from assuming the presidency.

The other permanent members of the council are the UK, US, France, and China.

Source: BBC