Russia has reprimanded the head of the UN children’s agency Unicef for not providing a “weighty argument for her refusal” to brief the Security Council on children in Gaza — a meeting requested by Russia, Reuters reports.

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Unicef Executive Director Catherine Russell, an American, had briefed the 15-member council on children in Ukraine “at the drop of a hat” in December, during the US presidency of the council.

“So it would appear that for Unicef children in Gaza are less important than children in Ukraine,” Nebenzia said.

“The refusal of Unicef’s head to brief the Security Council about the horrific tragedy linked to the death of tens of thousands of children in Gaza is a flagrant step, which deserves our most serious censure,” Nebenzia told the council.