United Nations, The Indonesia Post – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday that any Russian troops deployed to eastern Ukraine will not be “peacekeepers” as Moscow insists.
He also rejected President Vladimir Putin’s claims that ethnic Russian genocide was being carried out there.
The United States does not accept Russia’s justification for deploying troops as “peacekeepers”, calling it “nonsense” and accusing Moscow of seeking a pretext for war.
“When troops from one country enter the territory of another country without the permission of the host, they are not neutral peacekeepers. They are not peacekeepers at all,” Guterres told reporters at the United Nations.
He also said Russia had violated the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine by recognizing the independence of the two breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine and declaring themselves the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic.
Putin on Tuesday ordered Russia’s Defense Ministry to dispatch troops to “carry out peacekeeping functions” in eastern Ukraine. He later told reporters that he did not say Russian troops would go there soon.
Guterres said he was “worried about the distortion of the concept of keeping the peace.”
Putin said last week that Russia views the treatment of ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine as genocide.
“I don’t think so,” Guterres said when asked about Putin’s remarks.
Under international law, genocide is the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a country, ethnic, racial or religious group.
Genocide, among others, is carried out by killing, seriously injuring the body or mind, creating conditions that will destroy the body, taking measures to prevent births, and forcibly separating children from one group to another.
Tensions between Russia and the West have escalated over US accusations that Moscow has deployed up to 150,000 troops near the border with Ukraine.
Russia denies it intends to attack Ukraine and accuses the West of being hysterical.
“We need restraint and reason. We have to de-escalate now,” Guterres said.
“I call on all parties to refrain from taking action and issuing statements that will only make this dangerous situation worse.”
Source: Reuters. (ojn/bbs)
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