New Delhi: “President Putin, in the name of humanity, bring your troops back to Russia,” United Nations Secretary General António Guterres made a last-minute plea to the Russian premier hours after his troops started military drill in eastern Ukraine’s separatist regions.
He said in a tweet, “This conflict must stop now”.
Guterres also told the media. “Today is the saddest moment in my tenure as Secretary General of the United Nations.”
At the United Nations Security General meeting, which coincided with Vladimir Putin’s televised announcement to conduct military operations in the Donbas region, the Ukrainian ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya told his Russian counterpart, “There is no purgatory for war criminals, they go straight to hell.”
Kyslytsya said it was too late to talk about de-escalation now that the Russian President had “declared war” against his country. He appealed to all countries to “do everything possible to stop the war”.
Soon after this, the UNSC meeting, which was being chaired by the Russian representative, was dismissed.
Early on Thursday morning, Putin conducted a special military operation in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, saying the U.S. and its allies had crossed Russia’s “red line” with expansion of the NATO alliance.
While explosions were heard in several cities, and sirens rang out in Ukraine capital Kyiv, there was heavy traffic seen leading out of the capital.
The world has reacted with anger and consternation at Vladimir Putin’s actions in eastern Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden will meet with the leaders of the G7 on Friday. “The United States and our Allies and partners will be imposing severe sanctions on Russia. We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” he said.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his country and allies would respond decisively to Russia’s “unprovoked” attack on Ukraine.
Johnson tweeted he was appalled by the horrific events in Ukraine. “President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine,” he said in the tweet.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Thursday called the attack “unjustified and unjustifiable”. He said Europe and NATO were working with “unity and determination” on an immediate response.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Russia’s attack on Ukraine “shakes the foundation of the international order”. He told the media: “The latest Russian invasion shakes the foundation of the international order, which does not permit unilateral attempts to change the status quo.”
“We strongly condemn Russia. We will coordinate efforts with the international community, including the United States, and deal with this swiftly,” he added.
Also read: Putin launches military operation in Ukraine, asks its soldiers to lay down arms, go home