How to expel Russia from the UN? Step by step instruction

In 1945, the founding countries of the UN, among others, were the USSR, as well as the Ukrainian and Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republics. The countries that gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union joined the UN in accordance with the procedure provided for by the Charter of the Organization. For example, the Baltic states became members of the UN in September 1991, and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Moldova, Azerbaijan and Armenia joined in 1992. Ukraine and Belarus did not need to join the UN, as they were already members of the Organization and have been considered subjects of international law since 1945.

With the collapse of the USSR, Russia proclaimed itself the successor of the Soviet Union. However, there is no document confirming this. In 1991, all the states that were part of the USSR signed only the Treaty of Succession, concerning the external public debt and assets of the Union.

Russia's membership in the UN is not governed by any decision of the UN General Assembly. Russia claims that its membership in the Organization and the Security Council is governed by the decision of the CIS Heads of State Council of 21 December 1991 to support Russia "in continuing the membership of the USSR in the UN, including permanent membership in the Security Council and other international organisations".  Ukraine considers this decision a "fraudulent scheme".

Article 23 of the UN Charter states that the permanent member of the Security Council is the USSR, not Russia. The Charter of the Organization has not been amended since 1973. Accordingly, Russia cannot be considered a legitimate member of the UN and the Security Council. 

However, Russia constantly uses the veto power vested in the Security Council's permanent members. For example, in 2008, the UN Security Council failed to adopt a resolution on South Ossetia, in 2014 — on the occupation of Crimea, and in 2018 — on the investigation of a possible chemical attack in Syria. In 2020, Russia vetoed a Security Council resolution condemning its actions in Ukraine and calling on Moscow to cease the use of force immediately and withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory. In September 2022, Russia vetoed a resolution condemning the so-called "referendums" in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

Given this, a petition demanding the expulsion of Russia from the UN Security Council appeared on the global platform Change.org. The petition's author calls on Antonio Guterres and the UN to provide documents certifying the grounds for Russia's membership in the UN. In the absence of such documents - to stop Russia's fictitious membership in the UN.

"The UN doors should be closed for Russia because to join the UN, Russia, according to Article 4 of the UN Charter, must stop the aggressive war in Ukraine and return to [its] internationally recognised borders. Only peace-loving states can become members of the UN. Such a course of action will deprive Russia of the right to veto in the UN, which blocks many peaceful decisions and restore peace and order in the international community," the petition states. 

The petition has collected more than 200 thousand signatures out of the required 300 thousand.