UN chief condemns invasion ahead of anniversary

UN head António Guterres has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as an “affront” to the world’s collective conscience at a meeting of the General Assembly nearly one year on.The meeting was debating a motion backed by Ukraine and its allies demanding Russia pull out immediately and unconditionally. Ukraine hopes that by supporting the motion countries will show solidarity.The Kremlin has accused the West of wanting to defeat Russia at any cost.Vasily Nebenzya, the Kremlin’s ambassador to the UN, said the US and its allies were prepared to plunge the entire world into war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent up to 200,000 soldiers into Ukraine on 24 February 2022 in the biggest European invasion since the end of World War Two.