UN Secretary General condemns Russian strikes on Ukraine and Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has issued a statement condemning the latest massive Russian attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, and expressing concern over recent strikes by Ukrainian drones on the territory of the Russian Federation.

The corresponding statement was published on the official website of the United Nations.

Guterres said the conflict was escalating

According to the UN Secretary-General, further escalation of hostilities is leading to civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure in both Ukraine and Russia.

“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the further escalation of the conflict, in particular on the territory of the Russian Federation. In this context, he also condemns recent attacks by Ukrainian drones on several regions of the Russian Federation, which have reportedly resulted in civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure,” the statement said.

Guterres stressed that attacks on civilians and civilian objects are a violation of international humanitarian law and must cease immediately.

Call for a ceasefire

The UN Secretary-General also expressed concern about the situation in the Black and Azov Seas and called for freedom of navigation.

He once again called for an immediate, full and comprehensive ceasefire, as well as for the achievement of a just, sustainable and comprehensive peace in accordance with the UN Charter and the norms of international law.

Massive strike on Kyiv

As a reminder, on August 5, Russian troops carried out a massive combined strike on Kyiv and Kyiv region for the third time in a week. According to the Ukrainian authorities, ballistic missiles and strike drones were used during the attack.

The shelling killed 17 people, damaged residential buildings, critical infrastructure, as well as logistics centers and warehouse complexes of a number of Ukrainian companies.

At the same time, Ukraine continues to launch drone strikes on military facilities, oil refineries, and logistics infrastructure on Russian territory, which are used to support armed aggression against Ukraine.