Russia removed from UN Human Rights Council after Ukraine atrocities

The United Nations has voted 93 to 24 to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council following allegations of Russian soldiers carrying out mass killings, rape and torture in Ukraine.

The vote came after a push from the US, with the draft text for the vote expressing "grave concern at the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine".

Fifty-eight nations abstained from the vote.

A two-thirds majority of voting members in the 193-member General Assembly in New York was needed to suspend Russia from the 47-member Geneva-based Human Rights Council.

Watch: Ukraine war: Russia suspended from United Nations' Human Rights Council following invasion

Suspensions are rare. Libya was suspended in 2011 because of violence against protesters by forces loyal to then-leader Muammar Gaddafi.

It was the third resolution adopted by the General Assembly since Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine on February 24.

The two previous General Assembly resolutions denouncing Russia were adopted with 141 and 140 votes in favour.

The resolution adopted on Thursday expresses “grave concern at the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine”, particularly at reports of rights abuses by Russia.

Explaining the move, announced on Monday, US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said: "It is important to say (to Russia) 'we're not going to allow you to continue to act with such impunity and pretend that you respect human rights'."

Ukraine has accused Russian troops of killing hundreds of civilians in the town of Bucha, just outside of Kyiv.

Russia has refuted claims of mass killings since the town was freed from their control on 31 March, with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov claiming footage and images of bodies in the streets were "staged" and Ukrainians had used "fake dead bodies".

However, satellite imagery of the area in the days before Bucha was freed shows at least nine bodies lying in the street for weeks, contradicting Russian claims.

UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said on Tuesday that while Bucha was under Russian control "not a single civilian suffered from any kind of violence".

However, horrific stories are beginning to trickle out of the besieged area, including from one man who said he only survived an execution after playing dead when he was shot.

Western diplomats were confident they had enough support among the 193-member General Assembly to adopt a resolution to suspend Moscow.

Russia has warned countries that a yes vote or abstention will be viewed as an "unfriendly gesture" with consequences for bilateral ties, according to a note seen by Reuters.

Moscow has continued to claim it is carrying out a "special operation" to demilitarise Ukraine.

Russia is in its second year of a three-year term on the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, which cannot make legally binding decisions. Its decisions send important political messages, however, and it can authorize investigations.

Last month the council opened an investigation into allegations of rights violations, including possible war crimes, in Ukraine since Russia's attack.