Ukraine: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a Security Council meeting on Ukraine yestersday that talk of a nuclear conflict is “totally unacceptable” and effectively warned that so-called referenda in areas under Russian control would be annexation.

Referendums on joining Russia are due to take place from Friday until Tuesday in several largely Russian-held regions in eastern and southern Ukraine, which comprise around 15% of the country’s territory.

Guterres told the council ministerial meeting that he was concerned about the plans for “so-called ‘referenda’.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is due to address the 15-member council, but was not in the chamber for Guterres’ remarks.

 “Any annexation of a state’s territory by another state resulting from the threat or use of force is a violation of the U.N. Charter and of international law,” Guterres said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday threatened to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia. The Security Council meeting on atrocities committed in Ukraine is taking place during the annual gathering of world leaders for the U.N. General Assembly.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 as the Security Council met in New York to discuss Western concerns about such a move by Moscow.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 23 2022

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