UN has appealed for peace as Russia strikes Ukraine, the US threatens more sanctions.
NewsOnline reports that the United Nations has urged Russia to send its troops back to Russia and end the conflict in Ukraine as Russia escalates attacks in Ukraine.
BREAKING: Heavy Explosions Rock Ukraine Capital Kyiv, Mariupol
Also, the United States President, Joe Biden has called for a G7 meeting to impose more sanctions on Russia.
NewsOnline Nigeria understands that this was disclosed in a statement by the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres on Thursday morning.
This comes as President Vladimir Putin of Russia ordered a “demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine.”
What the UN is saying about the invasion
Reacting to the military incursion in Ukraine, Guterres urged Putin to put an end to the invasion and recall his troops back to Russia.
He said, “Under the present circumstances, I must change my appeal:
“President Putin, in the name of humanity, bring your troops back to Russia. This conflict must stop now.”
US President Biden has however warned that Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring.
He said, “The United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way,” he said. “The world will hold Russia accountable.”
Biden added that there would be a meeting with the leaders of the G7 and the United States to impose severe sanctions on Russia.
Putin justifies attack…
The attack by Russia was happening at the same time the United Nations Security Council in New York called an emergency meeting at the instance of Ukraine’s ambassador to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, to deal with the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
Putin said the point of his attack is to “protect people who for eight years have been suffering persecution and genocide by the Kyiv regime.”
“For this, we will aim for demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, as well as bringing to justice those who carried out multiple bloody crimes against civilians, including citizens of the Russian Federation.”
“Our plans do not include occupying Ukrainian territory,” he added.
Putin in his speech, said that Russia has no plans of occupying Ukraine, but warned that there would be grave consequences that have not been seen in history with Moscow’s response expected to be “instant” if anyone especially from the West, tries to take on Russia.
