“A heinous act of barbarism. It is in these terms that Ukraine described the Russian strikes on kyiv on Thursday, the first since mid-April, which occurred during a visit by the UN Secretary General. Antonio Guterres “is safe” but “shocked”, said the spokesperson for the United Nations. And President Volodymyr Zelensky castigate bombings aimed at “humiliating the UN” after the press conference held with the international leader to jointly denounce Russia’s actions in his country.
“In the evening, the enemy fired on kyiv. Two strikes on the Chevchenkovsky district”, had previously detailed the mayor of kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, adding that “the information as to the victims is being clarified”. AFP correspondents actually observed on the spot a floor of a building on fire with black smoke escaping from broken windows, while many police officers and rescue workers were present on the scene.
“Russia once again demonstrates its attitude towards Ukraine, Europe and the world,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kouleba tweeted.
“Missile strikes in the center of kyiv during the official visit of Antonio Guterres”, for his part denounced on Twitter Mikhaïlo Podoliak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The UN Secretary General arrived in Ukraine on Thursday after being received by Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. “Yesterday he was sitting at a long table in the Kremlin and today explosions above his head,” quipped Mikhaïlo Podoliak.
“More weapons, more humanitarian efforts”
“This is proof that we need a quick victory over Russia and that all civilized people must unite around Ukraine. We must act quickly. More weapons, more humanitarian efforts, more aid,” added the head of the presidential administration, Andriï Iermak, also calling for Russia to be deprived of its right of veto in the UN Security Council.
During his visit to Ukraine, Antonio Guterres notably went to Boutcha and Irpin, in the suburbs of the capital, theaters of abuses attributed to the Russian army by the Ukrainians. He also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, regretting that the UN Security Council had failed to prevent and stop the war started on February 24 by Moscow. “The invasion of Ukraine by Russia is a violation of its territorial integrity and of the Charter of the United Nations”, he denounced once again.