Britain slaps down Russia's push for secret U.N. vote on Ukraine

FILE PHOTO: British Ambassador to the U.N. Barbara Woodward attends the United Nations Security Council meeting, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., September 7, 2022. REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado/File Photo

Britain on Friday rejected Russia's call for a secret ballot in the U.N. General Assembly next week on whether to condemn Moscow's move to annex four partially occupied regions in Ukraine and requested that the 193-member body vote publicly.

Moscow has moved to annex four regions in Ukraine - Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia - after staging what it called referendums. Ukraine and allies have denounced the votes as illegal and coercive.