Russia has missed out on a bid to return to the UN’s top human rights body, with Albania and Bulgaria winning more votes at the general assembly, Reuters reports.
Russia won 83 votes, while Albania received 123 and Bulgaria got 160 in a secret ballot.
The election is seen as a crucial test of western efforts to keep Moscow diplomatically isolated over its invasion of Ukraine,
for which it was ousted from the Geneva-based human rights council 18 months ago.
Russia’s suspension last year made it the first permanent member of the UN security council to have its membership revoked from any UN body.