Russia-Ukraine war: UN to re-establish presence in Kyiv after deployment of key personnel

As the Russian offensive continues in Ukraine, the United Nations, on Thursday, affirmed to re-establish its presence in Ukraine's national capital, Kyiv after the temporary redeployment of key personnel. While speaking on the last visit of Martin Griffiths, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs to Ukraine, UN Secretary-General António Guterres' spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said that the intergovernmental organisation will resume its humanitarian presence and work in Kyiv as soon as the redeployment of its key personnel were done.

Dujarric informed that Griffiths had visited Bucha and Irpin outside of Kyiv along with Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Olha Stefanishyna. He said Griffiths described the visit as horrifying as the top official saw several mass graves with bodies wrapped in plastic. According to Dujarric, the UN Under-Secretary-General was shocked to see the scary images and called for an immediate, independent investigation of the mass killings in Bucha.

"From Bucha, Griffiths went to Kyiv, where he met with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, the Deputy Prime Minister, Olha Stefanishyna, and the other Deputy Prime Minister, Irina Vereschuk, the Minister of Defence, Oleksii Reznikov, and the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Emine Dzhaparova," read the statement released after the press briefing on Thursday.

"Griffiths listened carefully to their views and concerns and sought ideas on how to move forward on getting to a humanitarian pause and safe passage for aid deliveries and evacuations. These are topics he also discussed with government officials of the Russian Federation in Moscow on Monday," added the statement.

Before leaving the war-torn country, it said that the top UN official reaffirmed his commitment to helping protect civilians and reaching all those in need of humanitarian aid as quickly as possible.

Zelenskyy tells Arnab 'Ukraine needs UN to issue ultimatums, not just show its concern'

On Thursday, April 7, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, spoke in a mega exclusive interview with Republic Media Network's Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, where he slammed the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for not taking strong measures against Russia by isolating them, and just using the word 'concerned' for over eight years. 

Explaining his statement on Wednesday at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), where he asked them to 'either act immediately or dissolve yourself altogether', President Zelenskyy stated, "The UN can do a lot. Simply using the words like 'we are concerned' is not enough to stop the war. They have to be courageous and powerful. We are talking about the isolation of the Russian Federation in different international organisations. There should be an isolation (Russia)."

"They are having meetings with them (Russia) and sitting with them on the same table and talking to them on the need to settle the issue and repeating the word 'concern'. We have heard 'concern' for over 8 years and unfortunately not too many of our citizens have survived after 'raising their concerns'. They need to establish the isolation (of Russia). Let's establish a forum and some powerful steps to give a response to Russia. Use the words 'ultimatum' instead of 'concerns'," the Ukrainian president said.

(Image: AP)